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

Hi Jordan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I was studying to be a fine artist at the Maine College of Art and Design, mainly in the medium of drawing. I was passionate about making art but felt that many of the “nonartist” people I was surrounded by were not. Coming to terms with this was challenging for me because even though I loved art, the professional art world, as we commonly think of it today, has a long history of prejudice and discrimination, especially when it comes to women and people of color. Therefore, I wanted to find a medium that could better host the concepts I was working on within my art so that it could better engage with the people I wanted it to. On my next trip back home to Bermuda, I was humbled by all of the creatives I had never fully appreciated. Cars, fashion, dance, cosmetology, and ebonics were all happening around me and filled with history and collaboration. After that trip, It was clear that I needed to create a socially charged fashion brand to host my art. It is this foundation in mission and community that has guided all of our decision making.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Loquat’s mission is to empower marginalized people with fashion and design. We try to do this in any way we can, collaboration, storytelling, platform creation, donation, and ethical manufacturing to name a few. It is important that we keep this at the core of what we do because things encourage you to disconnect from the reality and suffering of others. Our “Menstrual Products Should Be Free” t-shirt campaign was one of our first projects and is something we carry on to this day. Through this project, we have given away thousands of dollars in free menstrual products to people in Portland. We have collaborated with a variety of individuals and groups with the intention of raising funds for organizations like Indigo Arts Alliance or causes like Minors at the US and Mexico border. Some of our work with artists has been the most inspiring for me. Not only do we get to create really interesting products with them, but we also get to learn more about their stories and share them with the world. Our video series, Roots & Culture does just that. It is a series of conversations and lectures focused on archiving and sharing the history and culture of marginalized people. We collaborated with Sidney Sanchez in October of 2021 ito celebrate Dia De Los Muertos. That Project included an R&C episode where Sidney and fellow artist Liliana Perez shared and compared stories of DDLM from within the Mexican Diaspora. Last Summer we had a pop-up shop at the Maine College of Art for 2.5 months. Along with our own work, we carried the work of 30+ that were all either people of color or LGBTQ+. In that short 2.5-month session, we raised $25,000 for these artists and entrepreneurs, many of whom have since started businesses or became full-time entrepreneurs during their time in Loquat. We are in the process of opening our first brick and mortar location where we will continue to provide a platform for other marginalized makers. Our open call will be accepting applications for the foreseable future, so I am encouraging artist and entrepreneurs from all over to Apply! Apply! Apply!

As far as challenges go, we have certainly encountered them. Loquat was founded in January of 2020, right before Covid started to get bad around here. Not an ideal time start a business. Thankfully, we were able to pivot quickly and get on the mask making train early which helped with moment in the beginning stages of the pandemic. We have also always sewn everything ourselves, as much as possible, so when we were in quarantine it was possible for us to continue manufacturing because everything was in the apartment already.

I really didnt want to take investors when we first started because of how territorial I am about maintaining the integrity of the brand and mission. The only reason we were able to start doing what we did was because I was always applying to as many grants and artistic residencies as I could. I was viewing it as fund raising for sure, but also as a way to legitimize the work that Loquat was doing as fashion, but also conceptual art. “If our community is all artists, then that makes my work art right??” Not everyone has been so easily convinced, but I am always reminding myself this is fine art (insofar as that exists) and street fashion because I say so.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would start the day at Little Woodfords on Congress st. Queer owned, good coffee, and a solid breakfast sandwich. They have also done some great work with providing vaccines. Next, I would probably visit Jill Mcgowan and Portland Trading Co. Jill makes high-quality women’s wear in Portland and taught me how to pattern draft when I was still a student. Kazeem over at Portland Trading co is right around the corner and is always filling his shop up with new and interesting pieces that always come with a story. Later in the day, we would probably go to Quiero Cafe. I love their Cuban sandwich. I’m always a sucker for a good empanada. To cap the day, we would have to go to The Jewel Box. If it’s a Monday, Kafari will be playing bones or his keyboard upstairs and pulling in all the black and brown creatives. The Jewel Box has a creative selection of cocktails and the energy is always good.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Oh, so so so many folks. My Friend Madison Poitrast – Upton has been riding with me on this project for years, and I can honestly say that there is no way that I would be able to do this without the work ethic, context, and compassion she brings into the space every day. When I first started to think about Loquat, I knew that I needed more education on the themes I was working with if I wanted to think more critically and be able to convince people that what I was doing was legitimate. That summer, I took an independent study with Dr. Myron Beasley on Afrocentric religion and philosophy. What I learned from that class still shapes how I think and engage with notions of marginalization. Dr. Beasley continues to advocate for and challenge me to this day. Indigo Arts Alliance is an artistic residency in Portland, Maine, supporting black and brown artists. When I had my residency with them in 2019, my mentor was Meeta Mastani, whose business, Bindaas Unlimited, is focused on reviving traditional Indian crafts. Meeta has been generous with me in so many ways that she did not need to be. Without her assistance and guidance it would have been much more challenging to break into apparel while staying true to our mission. Finally, my parents, big big homies. Need yall, love yall <3.

Website: Loquatshop.com

Instagram: @loquatshop

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIJwE5z0PoEeU6cyEyKHMGw

Image Credits
Bought Brown: Hadiya Flowers Open Call / Roots and culture collage: Jordan Carey Rocky Coastline: Jackiellen Bonney All others: Belle Fall crouching on the sidewalk: Madison Poitrast – Upton

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