Streetwear Star Has Designs On Cedar Hill

Olivia Charis Photo

Officials cut ribbon Tuesday at Mindless Clothing.

Examples from MTC's line.

Homegrown entrepreneur LaDrea Moss is putting her stamp on New Haven’s clothing — and on a neighborhood that also benefits from a fresh look. 

Drea Moss with city Alder Anna Festa and city small-business point person Cathy Graves.

City officials gathered Tuesday to cut a ceremonial ribbon in front of Moss’s streetwear” store Mindless Thoughts Clothing at 1296 State St. in the commercial heart of the Cedar Hill neighborhood.

Mindless Thoughts specializes in custom streetwear” items including hoodies, T‑shirts, shorts and hats. Moss developed the line online in 2012, attracting not just local customers but 10,000 Instagram followers. She bought and renovated the building at 1296 State to create a storefront last year, which she opened last year. Because of the pandemic, the ribbon-cutting was delayed to this week.

Mayor Justin Elicker at Tuesday's event.

Before Moss, a city native and Hillhouse grad, purchased the building, it sat, dilapidated on the corner of State Street just across from the Ferry Street intersection. The deli that previously occupied the space burned down and left what city Economic Development Officer Carlos Eyzaguirre describe as a space that was not a great use as far as attracting … positive business development.” 

Eyzaguirre also noted that Moss’ business is located in a half of Cedar Hill that would benefit from more businesses. My hope,” said Eyzaguirre is that [Mindless Thoughts Clothing] serves as an anchor” and a trailblazer in the city’s work to support Black and brown-owned businesses. 

Family, friends, and New Haven officials who gathered for Tuesday’s event noted the impact Moss’ business has had on the community.

Thank you so much for choosing Cedar Hill,” said the neighborhood’s alder, Anna Festa. This is a little diamond.”

Moss: "Living my dream."

Moss’ business has gained much traction since its first opening, with celebrities like Sojoua Boy, Iman Shumpert and Young M. A. wearing her line. What began as simple word of mouth and selling from her car is now a nationally recognized brand. 

Here I am right now living my dream, and it’s amazing,” Moss said. 

After graduating from James Hillhouse High School, where she played on the basketball team, Moss originally had hopes of playing college ball. After incurring injuries, she decided to pursue another passion: clothing design. Moss said she hand-sews all of her logos onto the sweatshirts. These handcrafted items in particular are the store’s most popular item, with 500 products selling out within a single week. 

Moss, who is 32, takes her success humbly: People think I’m more than what I am,” she said. Still, she wants to inspire those around her to pursue their own endeavors. 

Sisters doing it for themselves: Business partners Ciahna Battle and LaDrea Moss.

Her sister and business partner Ciahna Battle works alongside LaDrea and was behind the original naming and branding for the store.

Her father, Troy Dixon, noted not only how much Moss has supported the community, but how much the community has been supporting her. He told the Independent he admires his daughter’s generation. They really support each other,” he said. 

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