This interview originally appeared on EARSTYLE January 31st, 2010
Eyewear designers CoCo & Breezy chat with EARSTYLE.NET. Find out who’s rocking their glasses, who they want to rock them, and what the two young ladies have planned for the future.
Good afternoon! How are y’all?
We’re good! We’re just chillin’!
That’s cool, that’s cool! Well, it’s a nice day, down here. How does it feel in New York?
It feels great! We’re on our grind. We just got back from our interview. Now we’re- we had out interview with “Grind?” Where did we go to? Global Grind.
Okay. How did that go?
It was great!
Alright.
It went really good!
That’s cool. So, let’s get right into it. So, the name of the eyewear line is “Gemela Amor,” is that how you say it?
Gemela- “Gemela Amor” is actually the name of the collection and our brand is “Coco & Breezy.”
Okay. And that stands for “twin love?”
Yes, it does!
Alright. So, take us back to where and how it all started. How did you all come up with the name- come up with the idea?
It actually started from… (Breezy gives Coco the phone) Hello, this is Coco, now! What was your question? Breezy is too shy, so she wants me to talk.
(laughs) It’s cool, so I just wanted to know, I wanted you all to take me back to how you all started and where you started and came up with the idea for the collection.
Okay. So, we started- we’re from Minnesota and we just moved to New york about 4 months ago.
Alright.
So, we started in Minnesota and we were always known for wearing sunglasses. Like, we always wore shades to cover our eyes! Like, we always had a unique style and like, people would stare at us. So, by us, like, wearing shades over our eyes, to like, cover up us to keep feeling self-conscious of people always staring at us, so then all of a sudden, online, we’ve always been into fashion, so then Breezy was like, “why don’t we start designing shades?” So, when people stare at us, it gives us a statement to stare at.
(laughs) Okay!
So, we started the shades for something we wore, we didn’t try to sell them ??? or anything. We just, like- we were wearing them, everyday. And then people all of a sudden want to start buying them, so that’s how we came up with the question.
That’s cool, that’s cool! So, when did y’all officially get the line off the ground?
I would say officially, right when we moved to New York, in September, it like, it popped up, super quick. Like, the second day we moved down here Ashanti wore them on the VH1 “Hip-Hop Honor Awards” and that got us a lot of press. So, right when we moved out here they just, like, went up!
That’s cool! So, who else wore the eyewear?
Kelly Osbourne has worn our eyewear. It was crazy when Kelly Osbourne wore them. We didn’t even give her our shades. She must have gotten ‘em from someone else. A good friend of ours, named Michael Jesse. He like interviews people from the Red Carpet and he says she loved them, so much, that he just gave them to her! And then it was crazy because she wore them on “Dancing with the Stars” and, like, I didn’t even know she wore them. I found out someone tweeted me and was like, “Kelly Osbourne is wearing Coco & Breezy shades on ‘Dancing with the Stars!’” And I didn’t ever know anything about it. I didn’t even know she had them! So, I got nervous and was like, “oh my gosh, someone probably did a knock off of our shades!”
(laughs)
So, I had my friend research it and find the video and it ended up being our shades!
How cool is that?
Yeah! It was so cool!
So, is there anyone that you would like to see in the shades?
I need to see- I need more men wearing my shades. Like, females, yeah, but like, all of our glasses are all unisex, so I’d like to see more male celebrities wearing our shades! I don’t know anybody, exactly. I don’t have anyone exactly in mind, but yeah. More males!
I’ma buy a pair and I’m gonna make sure that I rock ‘em!
Niiiiceee!
(laughs)
Niiiiceee! They’ll be hot on you!
Yeah, I know!
They’d look super hot!
They’ll be pretty dope! I’ll make sure I send y’all the picture and everything!
Yes, we could post it on our blog or something!
Yeah!
You rockin’ our shades!
(laughs) It’s gonna be dope! It’s gonna be dope! So, how did you all come up with the name? Like, the name is very important and I think y’all have a great company name and a great line name.
Yeah! Well, the way we came up with our line name, “Gemela Amor,” that means, ‘twins in love,’ so I said, we always had a saying ‘twin love,” but then our mother- our mother is Puerto Rican, so we put it in Spanish. So, “Gemela Amor” is ‘twin love’ in spanish. And “Coco & Breezy” has been our nicknames our whole life. So, we just decided to go for that! ’cause as Coco & Breezy, we’re more then just designers, we’re actually, like- you know how a lot of designers are behind-the-scenes? We’re actually in-the-scene, so we’re us, as people we’re a brand, at that, so why not just call our line our brand.
That’s cool!
Thank you!
So, like, with artists like Lady GaGa and Beyoncé, with her “Diva” video, a lot of people have been doing a whole ‘spiky, futuristic’ thing and your eyewear fits perfectly with that, so do you think that with the help of Lady GaGa and Beyoncé do you think your sales have been affected, at all? Like, increased because of their whole style?
I would say, kind of, but not really ’cause they haven’t worn our glasses, but, like, I think what really helps our sales is that people see, like, us, as like- I mean, they see celebrities wearing them they are like, “okay, yeah,” but when you see regular people actually wear them as like an everyday outfit, that’s us- we wear them, everyday. We never take them off! So, we’re like a fashion statement to others, like, you can wear these out in public like on a everyday basis!
Cool! So, how do you guys keep the look so fresh and unique?
I just, like- I’m always into my style. I change it up a little bit, black is like our favorite color and what’s crazy is that when I get dressed I always base what I’m gonna wear- like, I pick out my glasses before I pick out my outfit.
(laughs)
And my friends always like, “shouldn’t you pick your outfit out first, then glasses? I’m like, “no!” I always try to wear different glasses, everyday! (laughs)
That’s dope, that’s dope!
Thank you! (says something to Breezy)
(laughs)
Oh, sorry! We’re at McDonald’s, right now, getting some cookies! (laughs)
Cool, cool! So, you two actually have a new line in development, “20/20,” correct?
Yep! The “20/20″ collection!
Okay. So, tell me a little bit more about that.
20/20 means, well, it stands for 20/20 vision, you know, that’s like the eyewear part of it. And then 20/20 says we’re turning 20 this year.
Okay. Me, too!
We sound so old, oh my gosh!
(laughs)
And then, we also, Coco & Breezy they live in their own world, in the year 2020, especially in this new collection we live in our own world. So, that’s one thing that goes with it. We’re doing eyewear, but we’re also expanding and doing other accessories.
Alright!
And with this collection it’s taken to the next level!
And when will y’all unveil this collection to the public?
Well, we’re showing our line during Fashion Week, February 16th, so we’re probably going to launch the new site and everything for the new store and in February, but it hasn’t been confirmed, yet, but I’m excited for everyone to see!
Cool, that’s cool! So, earStyle is a music site, so now, we’re going to talk a little bit about music and-
Okay. I’m so bad, I’m so bad at this! Please don’t ask me questions I’m not going to know!
(all laugh)
So, has music affected your company and your line?
In our opinion, it has affected a lot because, like, most of the people that wear our glasses are from the music industry, so they’re wearing them out to events and videos or whatever, so like, it has affected a lot, actually. ’cause most of, like, the music scene and art people that are wearing the glasses.
They’re really dope! I love ‘em! So, I’m gonna play a little word association game with you, so I’m gonna give you a word and then I want you to think of a song that comes to your mind, when I give you this word!
Okay!
You ready?
Mhmm.
Alright. “Motivation.”
I’m not good at this! Motivation? Oh! Breezy, what’s that Drake song? “Closer to my Dreams” by Drake!
Okay! Alright!
That song motivates me!
“Love?”
“Love” by Keyshia Cole! (laughs) That song reminds me of it, but I’m not too crazy about that song, but that’s the first thing that comes into my mind, though!
Okay! (laughs!) “Coco & Breezy?”
I don’t know exactly what kind of song, but the kind of music genre would be techno/rock, we love! “Coco & Breezy” remind me of, like, techno and rock music! I love that! (Breezy: Benny Benassi!) Oh, Benny Benassi!
Okay, yeah! He’s dope! Yeah, that’s crazy! Okay, “eyewear?”
“Eyewear?” (starts to sing) “I wear my sunglasses at night!” Whoever’s song that is!
(laughs) And that last one, “2010!”
Breezy, what song comes to your mind when you think of 2010? One sec! I have to ask the twin sister’s opinion!
(laughs)
That question, I cannot answer!
I’m gonna give you a song, I’ll give you a song! I’m gonna give you “Successful” by Drake! I think you got a very successful year ahead of you, too!
Aww! Yeah! So do you!
(laughs) So, yeah! I’ll give you that song! So, what advice would you give up and coming designers who may be reading this interview?
My advice to upcoming designers is that. Yes- some people want to become designers because they are jumping on the bandwagon, just because everyone else, in our age, year, right now, are like trying to be entrepreneurs and designers is like, great and everything, but, like, they have to know they have to be, like- it’s not just for the fun and the looks. You have to be in the business aspect, too, and really be serious about what you want to do. I think that they should have a plan of what they want to do and really think- don’t think of what’s going on now, think of what they are going to do ten years from now for what they are going to plan to do with whatever line they want to do. Also, build an image. Now, it’s all about image in the fashion industry and really, just like, set goals. Setting goals is the main key. If you don’t have goals, then you can’t go far, but if you have those main goals and you accomplish each one, you can see yourself moving up and up, higher and higher with what you want to do. Also, keep God first!
Always, always! So, what other then your own line, what else can we find in Coco & Breezy’s closet, right now?
A whole bunch of vintage jackets! We love vintage clothes! Lot’s of black. (Breezy: “What about our line?”) He said, besides our line.
(laughs)
Lot’s of black. Lot’s of vintage jackets! I just got some, like, vintage ??? shoes, that I love! I got this Gucci bag that’s like from 20 years from now or 20 years ago. And I just love everything vintage! It’s crazy! I love vintage designer clothes! That’s just what we like! Oh, and animal print and furs!
Alright.
And leather.
Perfect, perfect! Thank you! We have one more question! Are you ladies single?
Are we single?
Yeah.
I’m so sad! Breezy’s not and I am!
(laughs) Alright, I’ll make sure I add that. You know, I might have to hit you up a little later.
Oh, okay! (laughs) Alright, save my number!
Alright, but thank you so much! It was great talking to you two!
You, too! Keep in contact!
Will do!
