Psicotrópica: Mental Health x Fashion

Raiana Pires, Founder

Festejo Pattern

Constelação Pattern

Jalapão Pattern

An intersection of mental health awareness and fashion, social impact and entrepreneurship - that is what Raiana Pires is doing with Psicotrópica (literally “psychotropic”), a clothing brand based out of São Paulo, in Brazil. Through Raiana's studies in Social Services, she was exposed to the work of Nise da Silveira, a Brazilian psychiatric pioneer in art-therapy. Shortly thereafter, she went to an exhibit of artists with mental disorders, where she saw the work of Pedro Mota and it all clicked- his art would make gorgeous patterns for clothing. Her team developed the patterns with Mota, and profits were shared. That was the first collection under the banner “Surto Criativo,” which translates into “Creative Outbreak/Surge”. There have since been 5 collections with artists, who are consumers of mental health networks. In addition to the Creative Surge collections, Psicotrópica also partners with female artists outside of mental health networks for other uniquely printed patterns.

In addition to the Psicotrópica website and physical store, Raiana also launched a Surto Criativo site, which serves as an e-commerce site for the sale of prints, photographs, and work produced by consumers of local mental health networks, curated by her and her team. All of the profits from Surto Criativo go directly to the artists, and the site is supported by 1% of sales from Psicotrópica, and donations.

Walking the streets of São Paulo, it's not unusual to see people wearing Psicotrópica. When you buy and wear Psicotrópica, you are supporting slow fashion, local and often stigmatized artists, and this is when fashion becomes impactful. Read on for a more thorough analysis of the brand.

Banner from Psicotrópica’s website showcasing new collection

cohesive brand identity

Psicotrópica's brand identity is intricately woven with its core values, mission statements, and their unique selling proposition. This cohesive brand identity remains steadfast across all platforms, seamlessly uniting diverse artists and patterns under its umbrella while maintaining branding consistency.

Mission Statement

Psicotrópica's mission is to build a new approach to fashion, build awareness and generate income to stigmatized community. The brand has become an ally to artists who are consumers of mental health networks and fashion enthusiasts seeking unique pieces that stand out.

“Psicotrópica was born from collages, poetry, and the madness of being ourselves”

— From the Psicotrópica website

CORE VALUES

From their websites to their socials, Psicotrópica’s values are loud and clear. It starts with Mental Health Advocacy: advocating for mental health awareness, reducing stigma, and promoting positive change within society. Which is done through Education and Awareness: they prioritize education and awareness initiatives to promote mental health literacy, reduce stigma, and provide accurate information about mental health conditions and available resources.They focus on Originality and Individualism: a recurrent theme in their socials is re-inforced by their tagline: “the madness of being who you are”, their call to action is often to embrace oneself and be authentic to who you are - just like the artists who put themselves in the patterns. Their focus on Female Empowerment every step of the way, from highlighting their designers, to their staff to their founder. Social Impact is their bottom line, its highlighted in their social bio and a consistent theme in every interview Raiana does.

UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION

Psicotrópica’s Unique Selling Proposition is its use of Colourful Patterns and their origins. In addition to the Creative Surge line, they also offer unique designs primarily by Women-identifying Artists. Unlike other Brazilian clothing brands that rely on colourful patterned clothes, what differentiates Psicotrópica is their commitment to Brazilian culture and folklore. Their most recent collection, Roda de Coco, is inspired by the Afro-Brazilian tradition of Samba de Coco, they have a collection inspired by Lia de Itamaracá, who is an iconic dancer and singer, they collaborated with muralist duo Lano on a collection, and so many other examples of their commitment to the country and its culture.

COMMITTMENT TO SUSTAINABILITY

Psicotrópica’s “new way of fashion” goes beyond their designs. On their website, under every listing, they highlight their focus on slow fashion. The fashion industry is responsible for a huge amount of landfill waste and global waste water (more information here) and Psicotrópica counters that by producing limited amounts of each of their designs. Some items can be ordered on demand, as long as you’re willing to wait the production time (it’s slow fashion, remember!). This also creates a sense of exclusivity for consumers, they will often post “last pieces” or “selling out quick” on their social media, creating a sense of urgency.

RECOMMENDATIONS for brand expansion

Additional information on the Creative Surge lines and artists are featured on their dedicated site, but, when researching for this piece, I had a hard time finding out more about the designs and artists of current collections. Some information was posted on their social media, but adding an information portal or hub for further education on the patterns will yield more interest form conscious consumers. This could also function as additional awareness for potential artists, another place for their work to be advertised. Raiane is looking to expand internationally and if they are to stick with the focus on Brazilian culture, this would be an instrumental move.

The tone of voice of the brand is very friendly and calls their fans “Psicas”. Their Instagram is very active, colourful and on brand. However, the website links to an inactive YouTube page. Raiana Pires is the face of the brand and generating a personal connection with her audience would result in an even more dedicated audience. Adding a behind-the-scenes element through YouTube could expand the Psicas’ involvement with the brand, and further consolidate their identity as fans. Additionally, since Psicotrópica’s focus is on destigmatizing populations, this would also be a good place to provide education. A stronger presence on YouTube could also result in a new audience for the brand.

bRAND bOARD

Psicotrópica emerges as a brand deeply rooted in its commitment to sustainability, mental health advocacy, and celebrating Brazilian culture. The brand's dedication to destigmatizing mental health issues through their artistic expressions is commendable, as is their focus on slow fashion and sustainable practices.

While Psicotrópica's Instagram presence is vibrant and engaging, their untapped potential on YouTube is an area that could significantly enhance their brand identity. By sharing behind-the-scenes glimpses and educational content, they can create a more intimate connection with their audience while also expanding their reach to a new demographic.

Looking ahead, as Raiana Pires steers the brand toward international expansion while preserving its Brazilian cultural essence, building an information hub about their patterns and artists could serve as a powerful tool for both educating conscious consumers and fostering collaboration. With their unique blend of social advocacy, sustainability, artistic expression, and cultural celebration, Psicotrópica is making an impact not only in the fashion industry but also in the realm of mental health awareness and social consciousness.

Unfortunately, they only ship their products within Brazil, but follow their Instagram for more content.