Roque: A Rising Street-Wear Brand You Need to Keep Your Eyes Out For
All because of an entrepreneurial assignment, 21-year-old Raquael, had her eyes on the prize as she pitched the idea for a summer pop-up at LIM College.
“Studying at LIM College has really pushed me forward when it comes to becoming an entrepreneur,” Raquael explains. “This whole pop-up started because I was doing a class project and decided to propose a pop-up shop to the school and after some negotiation, they said yes.”
LIM College takes large pride in encouraging its students to create their own businesses. Their never-ending encouragement has created a space for students to showcase their businesses.
After gaining the stamp of approval, the event where students could promote and sell their pieces was held on August 9th and 10th at the college’s Maxwell Hall. Not only was the event open to students, but the public as well.
Raquael immediately started promoting the event. She even held a scavenger hunt to create more of an experience in the pop-up. She went so far as to get a sponsor from another black-owned business, Tori’s Tasty Treats.
Raquael originally began Roque in high school, although she did not have all of the proper knowledge of business she does now since majoring in Fashion Merchandising.
“I originally started my brand in high school and it first was named ‘Bleenleaf,” Raquael explains. “At the time my favorite color was blue-green, and leaf was because I was born in the fall.”
When renaming the brand she wanted it to be more personal, which is when she landed on the name Roque. Although she didn’t love her name Raquael growing up, she saw the common spelling of Rocky displayed differently and thought, why not?
Source: Kahon Jackson
The name represents not only herself as an individual but also her streetwear style. Raquael wanted a brand that didn’t fit into one category so, in turn, she created her own.
At the pop-up Raquael sold t-shirts, shorts, and accessories including sunglasses, necklaces, earrings, and bags. One of her designs came from her upbringing on the East Coast. The “Roque Road” shirt design embodies the nostalgic essence of the “Thank You” bodega bags.
A large part of Roque‘s collection is channeling the old Y2K style while adding a modern spin. Another one of the t-shirts has a magazine cut-out effect, a soft nod to the “Burn Book” in Mean Girls. This design doesn’t stop there; Roque also offers the design in a two-piece matching set.
“I'm loving the way 4D shirts look, having that effect of where it looks like you could put your hand in and touch it,” Raquael explains.
Roque’s last piece, the “Bubble Gum shirt,” is more feminine but simple.
“It's simplistic but still goes back to the Y2K roots, also dabbling into the 4K design,” Raquael says. “It’s a cross between the two other shirts but with an early 00s spin because of the placement and airbrush effect.”
As for the future of Roque, Raquel plans to dream big and create a brand that is well-known in the New York City street-wear scene. She is creating a brand that is respected and has even stepped into luxury and couture streetwear.
“I find the industry has become so saturated and I want to create clothing that is reminiscent of what I grew up on,” Raquel says.
Raquael credits LIM College for helping her navigate the business in an entrepreneurial manner with the many classes she has taken on marketing and business analytics.
“I now have the space to do what I want and be creative fully by utilizing my degree and minor,” she says. “Entrepreneurship has pushed the brand in another way that I didn't think would be possible from somebody with my background.”
The college was not the only driving factor that helped Raquael with her entrepreneurial endeavors. This past summer she studied abroad in Italy and interned at Sam Edelman. Her time at Sam Edelman allowed her to get an inside look at how a successful business operates.
“I started working with Sam Edelman— a name that was once just a brand in my mom's footwear collection,” Raquel shares. “Now, I'm in these rooms with people where I have the freedom to talk and meet people like Edelman’s wife, Libby, a woman who is doing what she wants in such an artistic way.”
With so much support for the brand, the pop-up was more than amazing. From the candy bar to the lounge area and scavenger hunt to having professional photos taken by Kahohn Jackson, no detail went unnoticed. Still, of course, the designs were the star of the show. Raquael even curated a playlist to fully immerse attendees into the world of Roque.
You can find Roque on Instagram and stay updated with their new launches. Will you be checking out the brand? Leave a comment down below!