Founder's Story

Thank you for taking the time to read The Jocas Blueprint. This has never been simply about apparel or products. It has always been about people.Some of my earliest memories are wrapped inside a handmade quilt my grandmother made. When I pull that quilt down from the shelf and look at the way the pieces are put together in a repeating pattern, I think about how my grandmother thought out the design, cut the pieces, and sewed them together. I do notsimply see fabric. I feel the thoughtfulness, patience, craftsmanship, and love. That feeling became the foundation of everything I create. I learned to sew when I was around twelve or thirteen years old. I had always loved my faith, and one summer I asked my pastor’s wife to teach me to sew my own clothes. She was our family seamstress, and I loved the way she made our clothes. That experience sparked my love of design. From there, creativity never lent itself to one product, one trend, or one season. I learned to design in fabric, leather, wax, scent, paper, and semi-precious stones. I became a candle maker, leather handbag designer, stationery designer, seamstress, and jewelry designer. When I look at a piece of leather, I usually know what I want to design. When I think about making my family and friends feel special, I get giddy imagining the smile on their faces when they see what I created for them. Every item begins with one question: “How do I want someone to feel?” I want every Jocas item to help someone feel seen, recognized, and confident. If an item does not feel special enough, if it does not tell a meaningful story, honor the people and culture that inspired it, or meet the Jocas Standard to stand out and make someone feel seen, I will not release it.

My hope is that one day something we create becomes part of your own story. Every time you step out in Jocas, I hope you feel exactly as I do: “I own the space I’m in.” Thank you for believing in the stories we choose to tell. I hope one day one of those stories becomes part of yours.

Founder, The Jocas Bodega

Protect the Story.