Threads by Tea X Studio Strata

There are some people out there who just bring people together. My dear friends Eliezer Santiago and Tiphani Benbow are those people. I’m not even sure how it came up in conversation, but I’m sure it was related to the fabric I was designing - Elie mentioned “you’ve got to meet my friend Tea.” So there we were at Koffee? On Audobon St in New Haven and I just felt like it was the right moment for all of this creative energy to meet. Tiph and Elie ended up buying a one way ticket to Thailand, but Tea and I have continued to grow and develop both our friendship, but also this collaboration. 

With a tag line of wearable art created to empower and inspire, I knew this was the perfect fit of a designer for me to work with. 

Upon meeting Tea, I felt like I was taken aback by this air of coolness that engulfs the space he takes up. As we have continued to get to know each other and continue our “business meetings” we have really grown into forming a beautiful friendship. A friendship and partnership of designer and his muse. His humble nature paired with a presence that just makes a statement wherever he goes is something to reckon with. We make a good team. I think I’m a little more outgoing with making the connections and networking where as Tea literally has to do nothing and it just happens automatically. 

I can’t exactly remember when we met or how he picked out some fabric to buy from me, but it just always flowed nicely. He’s bought many yards of fabric from me now over time and I’m always playing a game of “where’s waldo?” But instead “where’s studio strata?” with searching for my fabric. 

Recently, we both attended the Essence Streetstyle Festival in the Brooklyn Navy Yard for New York Fashion Week. Tea and another friend Jason were both wearing outfits designed and constructed by Tea with Studio Strata fabric. I threw on a Threads lace cardigan with my Erica Zapp necklace, and hat from a clothes swap and was ready to take on this event in the dreary grey rain. Damn, did we make a statement and a little bit of noise. We were getting stopped all over the place for people to photograph us. At first I definitely felt a little shy, but a little bit into the event I think I found my groove and got into it. 

Meet Jivi x Studio Strata

Remember that magical trip to Asheville? 

Well part of the reason why it was so fun is because my childhood friend Nirav somehow remembered the exact day we were going and the morning of us flying out I get a message. 

“Hey Meghan, we are gonna come meet up with you”

Luckily our friend bailed on the trip and we had room in our Airbnb and these two brothers came to hang. 

Not too long before meeting, Meet Jivi was founded. I think by that point I had started using the products and it changed my skin so drastically. Using that one product repeatedly pretty much eliminated my breakouts and my skin was glowing as my mom often commented. I have believed in using chemical free products for some time now, but they are so expensive. When I saw the prices on Meet Jivi, I was so thrilled. Every product is under $20. That’s a big deal and makes it even more marketable to a young audience. Because not gonna lie some of us are broke sometimes, but still wanna look good and support local. It's also so safe its actually edible. 

We talked a lot of shop, about marketing, user interface, and just bouncing around ideas. We found Jivi Blue around Asheville and had to take pictures. For some reason we woke up kinda early the next day. So we were out on the street taking a picture during the best lighting of a Jivi Blue house. We then did a scent test for the next seasonal moisturizer. This turned into a collab with Studio Strata. 

When I got back to New Haven, I sent over some images of my work. Nirav and Nikhil picked out their favorite that would suit the project and ended up using my favorite scent as well. Then they just took off. The only way to describe the packaging is divine. It was so lux and just so well done. The package came with the bottle of moisturizer, a print of the artwork with some text on the back, and a little card saying where a meal was donated. OH ya, every bottle purchased they donate a meal to a local food bank. 

I mean if you’re still reading, what’s there not to love? You’re going to go oder something now, right!?

Side note, I know Nirav and Nikhil because our dads were roommates on Prospect St in New Haven when they were both bachelors. So, we go waaay back. 

To learn more, visit: https://meetjivi.com