LA-based Creator & Brand Manager at Madhappy

—

Join us as we chat personal style, what we’d never find in his closet, advice he would give his 16-year-old self, and more!

Before we start, for those who don’t know you, share with us what you do and where you’re based!

I live in LA and work as a Brand Manager for Madhappy which is an LA based clothing brand.

You have this incredible Tik Tok that highlights everything from hauls, to fit-checks, to education in terms of brand awareness, creative direction, and archival fashion. What initially attracted you to fashion, and what keeps you coming back?

My mom used to dress me in elementary/middle school and I couldn’t leave the house without getting her approval, so that kind of made me more aware of how I dressed. It eventually evolved my interest in fashion into looking at it in many different ways - how to style, learning about fashion from different decades, and fashion as expressing oneself creatively, etc. I now just love to keep up to date with what everyone is wearing, and how fashion affects things at a cultural level which is why I keep coming back.

It seems that there’s been a pretty consistent conversation about consumers getting to know and understand the brands they love and/or consistently support. When it comes to brands you love, how important is it to you that you know their history?

I think it’s now super important to know the history of the brand. There’s a general shift towards knowing more about a brand’s purpose so that us consumers (especially Gen Z) feel like we can resonate/relate with their mission, all while feeling confident and cool in their clothes/accessories. It's like a double-whammy, and if a brand can stay true to who they are and have social awareness, consumers will keep buying.

In terms of your own personal style, where do you look for inspiration? Is there anyone or anything that’s inspiring you currently?

I honestly just look to my friends and strangers I see on TikTok/social media. I also look at some celebrities for inspo even though often times, even down to their street style, they have stylist, so I’m not toooooo hung up on them, but it’s nice to see what people actually in the industry (stylists) are coming up with, since they are more tapped into the trends. My current style inspo is Amine, I love him. I’m trying to add more colors into my wardrobe. 

For those looking to develop their own personal style, what 3 tips would you give them?

1). Wear whatever makes you confident and don’t be so hung up on trends - trends are great reference points, but make sure you actually want to wear those things. You can really make anything look trendy if you are shining with confidence.

2). Go on Pinterest!!!! - Cool reference points even if you want to get into archive fashion and you can create moodboards.

3). Look at your closet - find some things that you already like to wear and build on that.

When you’re getting dressed in the morning, do you count on any go-to equations or recipes that help you get ready?

I have a set uniform that I usually wear during the weekdays. Right now, some sort of camp collar shirt, & loose fitting pants with sneakers/loafers. Nowadays, I love having a routine when it comes to clothes because I get overwhelmed easily. When it gets colder, I’ll probably just switch to overshirts and chore coats.

What’s one item we would never find in your closet?

A suit. I absolutely hate wearing suits but had to get one for a wedding coming up, but that thing will be thrown in the back of my closet when I’m done.  

Being based in New York City, I always find myself feeling overwhelmed with wearing an outfit that can take me from day to night. How do you approach this type of styling? Have any tips for us?

I think it's important to wear fabrics that can translate from day to night. For instance, I like to wear a lot of linen (pants mostly), so that fit both the day-time, very hot outside vibe, but also translates into the night-time dinner mode when you want to dress up. 

What’s one brand you’re really excited about right now?

Studio Nicholson, now that i’m starting to be able to afford their things, I think the brand as a whole is how I aspire to dress. It’s all pretty much cool neutrals but everything fits oversized/boxy which I absolutely love in a silhouette. 

Before we let you go, are you optimistic or pessimistic about the future of fashion, and why?

I’m pretty optimistic about the future of fashion. It’s becoming more accessible simply because fashion tiktok is a thing and people are essentially using TikTok as a search engine. 

Let’s Get Deep 

What’s your theme song?

Runner’s High by MUNA. Lyrics are so well written and relatable.

Night In or Night Out?

Night In

When do you feel most you?

With my besties!

What’s something you’re obsessed with right now?

The Vogue Runway app

Call or Text?

Text 

When’s the last time you cried?

Earlier today 

When’s the last time you laughed (like, big belly laugh)?

A couple days ago at a bday party :)

Favorite follow on Tik Tok, (besides you of course)?

I love runway-analysis-TikTok and trend forecasters. I’m always curious about what things mean and how they affect culture.

What’s one thing you would tell your 16 year-old self?

Keep going despite your self-doubts. Also, you’ll find people in your life that are true supporters that will love you no matter what.

Find More of Darius Here:

Insta: dariusb.jpg

Tik Tok: dbidddy

Listen to Darius’ Playlist: here