At the Corner of Mental Health and Fashion.

Mental health awareness takes a unique twist with the brand Madhappy as they design and sell clothing that promote positivity. The brand's use of bright colors and messages is definitely attention grabbing. They use the phrase “local optimistic” as well as the company’s name “Madhappy”  printed on crewnecks, hoodies, t-shirts, shorts, and more. Madhappy first caught my eye a few months ago when the famous white “local optimistic heritage crewneck” with vibrant rainbow print was all over my Instagram and Pinterest feed. I was attracted to the phrase, not exactly sure of its meaning, but knowing that it radiated good vibes. 

I did some online research and noticed tons of knockoffs selling the crewneck at a cheaper price than MadHappy’s cost of 165 dollars. At first I was startled at how expensive it was and confused about the importance of a simple sweatshirt. 

As I perused through the website I began to understand the incredible message of the brand and the reason why it's worth the price. Madhappy’s founders Noah Raf, Peiman Raf, Joshua Sitt, and Mason Spector created this brand not only to produce and sell unique streetwear but also to spread a powerful message on mental health and positivity. 

On the front page of the website it reads “At Madhappy we’re on a mission to make the world a more optimistic place”. Beyond the clothing the website creates a publication called “The Local Optimist” that focuses on stories, playlists and interviews to help promote positive mental health. They even have a section in the monthly publication that gives resources on how to get involved within the mental health community.

Madhappy has created a community where people feel comfortable talking and sharing their stories on mental health, as well as giving consumers the resources to get help and give back.
When shopping it’s easy to focus on what you're buying rather than where you're buying from. At times I find myself wanting the most affordable and most trendy clothes. This leads to me shopping from brands that have no message at all and practice unethical values. 
With the current climate of The United States I have become more conscious of where I am shopping from and how the brand is positively impacting society. Madhappy produces fashionable clothing that has blown up since its start in 2017, but also creates a community of positivity that sets a great example for the fashion industry on what values companies should encourage.

Caroline Hadfield