SITUATION:

Raising the Roof is a Canadian not for profit organization dedicated to eliminating homelessness. And while they work to create solutions for anyone who faces homelessness, there is a growing demographic who are in acute need of their help - young people.

BRIEF:

Build consideration for youth homelessness as an issue in Canada that we all collectively need to tackle.

OBJECTIVES:

1) Raise awareness for youth homelessness in Canada

2) Engage Canadians and get them talking about the issue

3) Drive donations and merch sales for Raising the Roof

Our idea was inspired by the popular, but rightfully controversial, homeless chic trend in high fashion which has been adopted by popular brands like Balenciaga, Yeezy, and Gucci. In this trend, fashion designers charge customers hundreds if not thousands of dollars for items of clothing inspired by the clothes worn by people forced to live on the streets.

But homelessness is not a trend. It’s a real epidemic that affects 40,000 Canadian youth. So, to raise awareness and outrage, Raising the Roof called out the fashion industry on their own runway. Introducing Streetswear Kids – a kids collection designed for youth to survive a life of homelessness. The collection includes street survival items like the Pavement Parka, Cardboard Cargos, Tap-Me Teddy and more. A clothing line that shouldn’t exist. Because youth homelessness shouldn’t exist.

At least 235,000 Canadians are estimated to experience homelessness annually, with numbers hard to estimate due to “hidden homeless.” However, our data found that 20% of Canada’s homeless population are kids. What’s more, they’re the fastest growing demographic experiencing homelessness in Canada.

KEY MESSAGE:

As Canadians grow apathetic about Canada’s homelessness epidemic, our idea was designed to cultivate awareness and outrage around the issue, along with a strong desire to create change. Our key message: This collection shouldn’t exist. Neither should youth homelessness.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

With millions of Canadians frustrated by the lack of government response to homelessness, we wanted to reach as many Canadians as possible in the most provocative way. Simultaneously, the rising “homeless chic” trend in high-end fashion offered an ideal opportunity to call out the fashion industry and reach industry luminaries and influencers with the power to inspire widespread change on their own runway.

We partnered with celebrity designer Caitlin Wright to convert regular kids clothing into street survival items. The collection included the Pavement Parka, Cardboard Cargos, Tent-O-Poncho, Tap-Me Teddy, and Kevlar Kicks.

Given our idea was inspired by the world of fashion, the media we used needed to be inspired by fashion as well. The collection was launched at Canada’s biggest fashion show - Fashion Art Toronto. Kids took to the runway showcasing the clothing line for some of the most influential fashion luminaries and media outlets in the country, many of whom shared their reactions following the show.

After its runway launch, media placements appeared throughout the city, but not just anywhere. Print and digital out of home designed to replicate the look of high fashion advertising were placed in locations typically occupied by fashion brands leading many to question if the line was real or satire.

The collection, and its world of fashion inspired rollout, drove the appropriate outrage and awareness the cause deserved. The unconventional launch drove 58 million earned impressions across the country. But most importantly, donations increased by 23% and merch sales - Raising the Roof’s primary source of funding - went up by 72%.