A Cornwall photographer has turned his surreal self-portraits into wearable artwork to help spark conversations about mental health with the help of a government-backed Start Up Loan, delivered by SWIG Finance.
Newquay chef Finley Taylor, 20, describes his first clothing collection, titled ‘Self Unknown’ as “hella comfy”. Featuring exclusive graphic designs of floral and human nature, he explores themes of mental health and emotional extremes.
Fin’s business is called TheDiscOrg – short for The Disassociation Organisation. He hopes his clothing will connect with customers on a personal level and reduce some of the stigma around discussing mental health: “If I can reach people and start conversations through the images I create, then it’s worth doing,” he says.
TheDiscOrg clothing will connect with customers on a personal level and stigma around discussing mental health.
Fin started taking photographs at around 10 years old, using his father’s Nikon camera to shoot macro images of plant life at the Eden Project. He later went on to study photography GCSE at Tretherras School in Newquay, where he explored surrealism and experimental practices including Photoshopping and scanography.
He explains: “I’d use a flatbed scanner as a camera, filming my face and moving it around.” These signature self-portraits, with blurred and indistinct facial features, now form a key part of his repertoire, and tie in with his A level dissertation about dissociation.
“I started looking at how much time people spend on their phones, and how the algorithms shape their personalities,” he said. “It’s crazy.”
He describes his own experience of lockdown as “the darkest time in my life”, identifying how young people felt a collective sense of angst as life moved online and the future looked increasingly uncertain.
Start Up Loans is part of the British Business Bank and offers personal loans of up to £25,000 per director and free business mentoring to help anyone start or grow a new or early-stage business.
Fin borrowed £2,000 to support production costs and marketing expenses for his first winter collection. “A couple of people mentioned Start Up Loans and the fact it was a government-backed scheme. I’d recommend it to other people, 100% – if you have an idea and want to pursue it, this gives you a way to do that.”
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It was the prospect of mentoring that most appealed to him. While Fin has built the brand from scratch and has self-taught experience in Photoshop and marketing platforms, he admits: “What I really wanted was to talk to someone with more experience than myself in the field of clothing retail. This is a business, at the end of the day.” He was matched with business growth coach Maria Anubi, and his sessions are due to start soon.
Future plans include expanding the product range with accessories and seasonal drops, exporting to international markets, exploring hybrid art and retail opportunities in physical gallery spaces, and building a community through a series of short films and interviews.
Fin was guided through the application process by Ellie Garbett at SWIG Finance, the Bank’s Business Support Partner for Start Up Loans in the South West.
Ellie said: “I really admire Fin’s passion and resilience. He started this business from scratch, taught himself new skills and put in the time to thoroughly research the gap in the market.
“But The DiscOrg is more than just a clothing brand. I love its purpose, which is to create awareness and communication through creativity. What really stands out is how it uses clothing to express individuality and tell stories. I believed in its mission of encouraging conversations and reducing the stigma around mental health and it has real potential to grow.”
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About SWIG Finance
SWIG Finance is a people-based lender that provides loans and support to help smaller businesses in the South and West Country grow. We base our lending decisions on potential rather than collateral, which means that we can often support businesses when others can't.
We’re growing every year. In 2024/25, we lent £14.8m to 501 businesses, helping to create and secure over 1,272 jobs and generate £75.7m in social impact. Download the report here.
If you’d like an informal chat about your funding requirements, get in touch with our friendly and professional team to see how we can help: info@swigfinance.co.uk / 01872 227 930