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Button Obsessed
L AT O YA M C I N N I S F O U N D E R COCOACENTRIC
“Comparison Kills Creativity!” - LaToya McInnis, Founder CocoaCentric
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BY: NEHA SURADKAR
aToya McInnis, a stylish southern girl with an innate love for jewelry and styling, converted her passion into a profession with a fantastic Afro-Centric accessory brand, Cocoacentric. Cocoa describes the brown hue and Centric refers to the centeredness. Cocoacentric is a brand of ethically handmade, curated, and vintage jewelry and accessories, inspired by fashion to make a bold statement and style.
The eldest among five children, McInnis had seen her parents dress well, and her mother’s bold and feminine style inspired her. She moved to San Francisco at the age of 13 with her mother and siblings in search of a better life. A natural and creative leader and with a keen interest in art, music and, fashion, she always impressed her colleagues with her sense of style. As a young girl, McInnis was obsessed with buttons on clothes and imagined them as earrings. She used jewelry as a medium to transform a look. Her years of experience as a jewelry merchandiser helped her understand fashion-jewelry. She could see and experience jewelry from both consumers’ perspective and as a budding jewelry designer. For Cocoacentric, McInnis derives her inspiration from the indigenous women and women of color, from their essence, vulnerability, and their natural ability to be strong, resilient, and beautiful at the same time. She also draws inspiration from music, film, pop culture, nature, and fiercely sophisticated, bold, and feminine women. All this makes her designs evoke emotions, vulnerability, and nostalgia. Her designs are tender and bold, fearless yet beautiful. They are made for women who are fashion-forward but not trendy, who love quality jewelry and
164 Rare Magazine
