1 minute read
Button Obsessed
Button Obsessed
- LaToya McInnis, Founder CocoaCentric
by Neha Suradkar
LaToya 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 love to stand out. These consumers are socially aware and have an eye for art. Consumers admire Cocoacentric because of its originality and for being ahead of what is happening, yet still relevant and approachable.
When asked about her favorite design from Coccoacentric, McInnis talks about The Waru Earrings. “The Waru earrings were created during a time when I was frustrated in my business. I worked a job, caring for my family, managing everything, and not seeing the abundance. The Waru Earrings have long sharp spikes representing the hard, sharp edges of growth and being uncomfortable.
The chains on the earrings represent my longing to break free from a job where I couldn’t be creative and felt boxed in and undervalued. The Waru Earrings are so special to me because I see my story of frustration and angst in the design. However, they are spectacularly beautiful earrings!”
Challenges are a part of every entrepreneur’s life, and McInnis is no different. Not getting her dream job did not stop her from trusting her abilities, learning, and moving in the direction where she is today. With Cocoacentric, she enjoys the independence of working for her brand and creating beautiful handmade products.
She currently works from home and tries to balance her work and family. She starts her day with a prayer of gratitude and positivity, goes for a walk or jog, makes breakfast for her children, and gets started with planning and conceptualizing work. Being a night owl gives her enough time to work on her designs post-dinner.
In 2021, McInnis is looking forward to scaling up the brand and growing the online presence. She plans to expand her online vintage shop and would love to dress up socially conscious black actresses like Issa Rae, Solange, Kerry Washington, and Tracy Ellis Ross with Cocoacentric.
A music lover, a poet, a collector of vintage clothing, belts, and handbags, and an advocate of Social Justice and women empowerment, McInnis believes that empowerment is when you can think and speak for yourself. It means possessing confidence, intelligence, and fierce determination to achieve what you dream. It is also about not being ashamed of the past and honoring the ancestors that have paved the path before you.
Being able to help others by sharing and mentoring is the driving force behind McInnis. Success to her is being able to do what she loves and share that with people she loves. She wants to create a space where she can give back to her community, share her love for art with them to boost their self-esteem, and open new opportunities that many youths are not aware of.
LaToya McInnis’s message to every woman is “listen to your heart. Allow your intuition to be your ally. Be rebellious and relentless about your dreams. If it doesn’t work out, it’s okay—you can pick up where you left off and reveal your heart again. Also, never compare yourself to others but be inspired. Comparison kills creativity! That is also the message I would give a younger version of myself.”
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