Community Highlights: Meet Laysa Quintero of Alma Xx Rebels

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laysa Quintero.

Hi Laysa, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I’m the designer and owner of a Los Angeles-based sustainable and ethical women’s brand, Alma and Rebels.

I was born (and raised) in Los Angeles to first-generation Mexican immigrants. Growing up, I had to be outgoing, vocal, and decisive, as my mother was deaf and mostly spoke Spanish. Being her interpreter from a really young age forced me to grow up fast.

Photography was the first passion I fully put my soul into. It was what ultimately led me to design and start Alma Xx Rebels. In design, every pattern, silhouette tells a story, and the best comes from the view of the world that you have as a designer; very much like looking out from behind the lens.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I think growing up with limited financial means made me who I am. Neither of my parents knew how to speak English well or had relatives to lean on when they came here. My father worked hard to learn a trade and provide us with a stable life and a good education. They are incredibly supportive. As a kid, I was embarrassed by this, but it is actually something I have now come to embrace. It is part of my story, it is why I work so hard and appreciate what I have built.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
I launched Alma Xx Rebels because I wanted to make things differently. I wanted to get back to how manufacturing used to be. We’re a brand for women who care about how and where their things are made. Our entire process is a rebellion against the corner-cutting practices of consumerism. We hand sew in Los Angeles, allowing us to achieve a superior level of craftsmanship through our own community.

Most importantly, we design with Mother Nature in mind. We source and handpick deadstock fabrics. Deadstock fabrics are the leftover fabrics from fashion houses that overestimated their needs. Traditionally, brands would send these incredible fabrics to landfills, but we’ve been able to rescue them and turn them into beautiful pieces filled with so much Alma.

Fabric is fabric no matter where it comes from, so why wouldn’t we choose deadstock when it’s the better option for the planet? Earth-friendly and fashion-forward can and DO live together.

How do you think about happiness?
I’m a nature girl. I’m creative. I’m a plant lover. I’m just a simple lady who likes fewer things, a small home, and time with the ones I love most.

I think that happiness is defined very much by how you feel about your life and your surroundings. This past year brought so many challenges. It was a hard year for so many –lives and businesses have been affected. But there was a silver lining in it all. It brought people and families together more and helped businesses re-evaluate how they wanted to operate. It gave us all a chance to pause.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: www.almaandrebels.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/almaxxrebels/?hl=en
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pg/AlmaXxRebels/photos/?ref=page_internal

Image Credits
The bright color images are shot by Joy Nowell.