Meet Raquel Ferraz | Founder and Creative Director

We had the good fortune of connecting with Raquel Ferraz and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Raquel, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I graduated in fashion and soon started working in the clothing industry. The paths led me to discover the world of denim, and at a very young age, I immediately fell in love with it. At that time, I was working in a factory and got to know the countless creative possibilities of this raw material, its history, its fame, and the reason why the world of jeans has so many passionate individuals, be they creators, collectors, vintage dealers, brands, or consumers. I often say that my initial drive to start this business came from both love and disillusionment. The corporate market I was working in and the way things were done made me lose my passion, even though I loved creating jeans. Starting a jeans brand in Brazil 12 years ago was not exactly feasible. The minimum volumes were very high, the industry only served big brands, e-commerce hadn’t taken off yet, and even so, I gave up my career at an important brand to try to make my own jeans. One that I could be proud of, that was made with respect for both the makers and the wearers, designed, purchased, and sold with consciousness in a brand that I could be proud of. And for that, there was no better name than: Yes, I am.

What should our readers know about your business?
This story began 12 years ago when my workday as a fashion designer at an important brand ended for the day. On a Friday in Rio de Janeiro, I knew I wouldn’t do that for a living anymore. As I mentioned earlier, the passion for jeans existed within me, but I wanted to go against the tide of rampant consumption. I wanted to create clothes that people would buy out for love, take good care of, and that would last for years in their wardrobes without needing to buy new ones. I wanted to make clothes for a lifetime, not for a season. I quit my job and started to envision my business. At that time, I had $7,000 reais in my account and couldn’t rely on any family support. I devised a plan that seemed simple: create a brand, invest that money to develop an e-commerce, and make two models of basic high-waisted jeans with the best fabric and impeccable fit. I called half a dozen factories I worked with at the time, all promptly and mockingly gave me a negative response. Except for one. They told me they could make 50 pieces of each model with a 30-day payment term. It seemed like a perfect world. I would build the e-commerce site, design these two perfect models, sell them in less than a month, and raise the money I needed to pay the factory. I did all of that, except sell the entire production in 30 days and raise the money to pay the factory. In the first month of business, I had only incurred a debt. I had every reason to give up at that moment. But the desire to do something with my own hands, in a way that would give me a purposeful life, spoke louder. I signed up to participate in every trade fair I could, carried the pieces under my arms, and personally told the world that Yes I am Jeans existed. Today, twelve years later, I am here telling this story, and this is only possible because from day one, I committed to not compromising on one thing: quality.

I couldn’t pay the supplier within 30 days, but after some months, many months in fact, I approached him with the amount I owed and paid him. At that moment, the supplier said to me: “I’ve been in the market for 35 years, and you are the first person who came to me to pay what you owed; you can count on me forever.” And so, my first business relationship was established. And Yes I am Jeans started to circulate on the bodies of the coolest people in São Paulo, always accompanied by a slogan from those who wore them: “I am wearing jeans with a perfect fit, that flatters my curves, made with low impact, and sold in an outbuilding of a charming little house in Vila Madalena.” In the back of that rented and shared house, in a room that no one used, I created the first place for customer service and began to experience and feel, above all, the empowerment that Yes I am Jeans caused in those who wore them. A superb pair of jeans, basic, high-waisted, with large pockets, designed to be a blank canvas for the wearer or a second skin, made to be worn every day.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Of course, I would start with a tour of one of our stores to try on Brazilian jeans and then explore some other brands I admire in São Paulo. The city center of São Paulo is also a worthwhile visit; the roof top of an important building, the Martinelli, is the second tallest building in Brazil built between 1924 and 1934 and has recently been reopened and now hosts the coolest parties in the city with a privileged and breathtaking view. I would include some of my favorite restaurants, such as Petit Le Jazz for the best Bloody Mary and, of course, a typical Brazilian cuisine restaurant, Mocotó. Biking the cycling lane on Paulista Avenue and the Minhocão (our version of the High Line) are also great ways to get to know the heart of this city. São Paulo is also reflected in its museums, such as MASP (designed by Lina Bo Bardi), the Museum of Modern Art within Ibirapuera Park, and the Museum of Image and Sound.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
credits: Yes I am Jeans, @yesiamjeans, www.yesiamjeans.com

Website: www.yesiamjeans.com

Instagram: yesiamjeans

Linkedin: yesiamjeans

Other: Founder and creative director @raquelcomq

Image Credits
Images: Yes I am Jeans.