A fashion brand is striving to remove the stigma surrounding men’s vulnerability and mental health.

All Men Cry was founded by Hornchurch-based Shyam Dattani, 32, and his cousin Rahul Popat, 25, in November last year after the duo fronted £8,000 to start the brand.

They hope to make their investment back so they can donate all profits to suicide prevention charity, the Samaritans.

Shyam, who works for a tech platform, and graphic designer Rahul started the business after having a conversation about men's mental health.

He said men often feel scared to share their emotions “for fear of being ostracised”.

In a bid to end toxic masculinity and idioms such as “be a man”, Shyam said All Men Cry aims to “encourage men to speak up, not man up” using clothing items emblazoned with the brand's name and slogan.

The pair both suffered losses throughout lockdown - for example, Shyam and his wife Nikki Dattani, 30, lost their baby at 25 weeks old.

He said: “It really reinforced my thoughts about men’s mental health.

“I was trying to look after my wife and be strong because I felt she had gone through more.”

It’s this pressure to be "strong” which All Men Cry hopes to tackle, Shyam said; its clothing is designed to show men it’s okay to be emotional, there is help available and others are suffering too.

Romford Recorder: All Men Cry will donate profits to the Samaritans charityAll Men Cry will donate profits to the Samaritans charity (Image: All Men Cry)

According to data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) last year, since around 2010, men aged between 45 to 64 have had the highest suicide rate.

Men also accounted for around three-quarters of suicide deaths (3,925) in 2020.

ONS says this is a consistent trend dating back to the mid-1990s.

Wanting to “leave a mark on the world”, Shyam said fashion was “always something he was interested in”, but being able to couple it with a good cause he is passionate about was a happy accident.

He said: “Getting people to donate is great and they have something to wear, which sparks conversation so keeps the awareness moving.”

When life is difficult, the Samaritans is available 365 days, 24/7. Call for free on 116 123, email jo@samaritans.org, or visit www.samaritans.org.