Corianna and Brianna Dotson of Coco and Breezy Eyewear
Growing up, twin sisters Coco and Breezy had an off-beat aura that didn't always jive with their peers. Having creative outlets like fashion and music gave them something to pour themselves into as they began to see the power of expression and forming their own narrative. At age 19, they started their eyewear company, offering some of the funkiest, chicest pairs of optical specs and sunglasses on the market.
Breezy and Duane Baker, the brand's other cofounder, often handle the design and product development aspects of the business. Travelling, admiring architecture, and simply keeping their eyes open are some of the ways they think of concepts. For Breezy, listening to music also helps her outline ideas — literally. "When I'm designing, the frequency of the music guides my hand to move a certain way," she said, adding that she and Coco are also DJs. Breezy and Duane then bring their designs to Coco whose knack for making small but significant tweaks helps perfect the prototype.
"Black girls who have piercings, natural hair, and tattoos can be entrepreneurs and go to business meetings looking like that."
Cultivating a sense of community within their brand originates from their cultural background and how they grew up. Their mother is Puerto Rican, and their father is Black, so they were taught that family and loyalty is everything. Their parents also instilled a certain hustle mentality that's kept them on a steady grind. "We grew up in a low-income neighbourhood but had such rich culture in our family," Coco said. "Our dad, being from the South, grew up during segregation when Black people weren't being hired for a lot of jobs. So he taught us to pave our own way and create something on our own."
This is why Coco and Breezy, who were featured on Hulu's Feb. 16 episode of Your Attention Please, are huge proponents of manifesting — something they even reflect in the names of their eyewear. While one customer might be attracted to a pair of glasses labeled as "Amparo," which means "protection" in Spanish, another might need some "Zen" in their life. "Coming up with the names is one of my favourite parts," Breezy said. "They're all very intentional. We're big on speaking things into existence, so if you're wearing a pair of glasses called 'Gratitude,' that's just one step closer to you actually exercising gratitude." They've also named some of their wares after people they know and streets they've lived on as a way to share their story.
"Everyone says when they put our glasses on, they exude a different personality."
Above all, the eyewear creatives want to make everyone feel seen and represented. Breezy, who has previously spoken about her identity as a queer woman of colour, says they really want to highlight a spectrum of narratives. "Our brand lives and breaths inclusivity," she said. "When we started our company, we were the outsiders and the loners. So when it comes to our hiring process, our campaigns, and our branding, we give everyone opportunities. It's just natural. Because of that, we attract people who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and people who are Black or brown or may have a disability." Even marketing their glasses as genderless, Coco added, is a way for them to empower their customers to rock whatever style they want.
"It's important for us to show all people who come from low-income areas without access to resources that they can get from one point to another," Coco continued. "And Black girls who have piercings, natural hair, and tattoos can be entrepreneurs and go to business meetings looking like that."
Although a handful of notable A-listers have worn the sisters' specs — Beyoncé, Prince, Yara Shahidi, the list goes on — they feel most fulfiled when they spot a random stranger wearing their eyewear. "I'll never get used to it," Breezy mused. "I just freak out." Coco shared the same sentiment, revealing that she sometimes approaches people. "Everyone says when they put our glasses on, they exude a different personality," she said. "So when I see someone in our shades, I like to observe them. I'll usually let them walk about a block, and I'll follow them and be like, 'Excuse me! You're wearing our product!' And they're like, 'Who's this crazy person yelling at me?' Then I'll say, 'My name's on those glasses. I'm Coco!' It happens pretty often and in some random places."
Where to follow: @cocoandbreezy