Hidden Gems: Meet Gabriela Mershad of Mershy

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabriela Mershad.

Hi Gabriela, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Mershy was created in conjunction with my soul-searching journey. I have always loved fashion but spent majority of my life riding horses (show-jumping.) When I graduated college, it was literally time to leave everything I’ve ever known and start exploring new parts of myself. I had no idea what I wanted to do but found my way in Fashion PR/ Stylist internships. On the side, for about two years, I was simultaneously building Mershy, although I had no idea what it was going to be. I fell in love with the process of exploring my traumas, deepest desires, and playing with magic to manifest my desires. Mershy was started in a word doc – which is now about 122 pages of pure thoughts/ flow of consciousness. This “Thoughts” doc became almost the Mershy bible, and I used it to create concepts around everything I designed. If I knew one thing, it was that Mershy needed to be something that nobody has ever seen before. I noticed a plethora of brands simply existing without meaning and took an ode to myself that each and everything I do would have a greater purpose.

And that purpose being, helping people find their highest selves and helping people feel safe exploring their demons. I struggled for a few years figuring out how to start a brand and finding the right people to help bring my vision to life. I remember everyday for months, I would sit and write, “universe, please help me to attract the right people for my brand.” A few weeks later, I posted an IG story looking for a graphic designer, a friend sent me one of her friend’s profiles, and thats when everything changed. Finding someone that not only believed in my vision but was able to complement it with the right visuals was a game-changer. Alexa and I started working together in March, and our passions/ visions merged together brought Mershy into a totally new ball game. The “muse” page I had dreamed up for Mershy became a totally interactive and unique page that represented my journey and the hardships that got me to where I am.

In conjunction with meeting Alexa, I started doing art, and I mean A LOT OF IT. I feel so deeply in love during quarantine, with the process of creating and finally discovered the artist within that had long been kept in the dark. My art then also became a huge part of Mershy. Alexa fused together images I had taken and quotes I had written with my art. I have about 400-500 different drawings and art I’ve done over the course of this year 🙂 Once the ball got rolling, everything started to slowly come together. I had no excuses anymore of why I couldn’t do certain things when I had all the time in the world during covid to figure it out on my own. I finally found a manufacturer and as well, a sustainable consultant who since the summer, has been helping me bring transparency into the supply chain and source eco-friendly materials. We are now getting ready to do our second drop, with lots of fun prints + new materials. We will be announcing a “meet your makers” page on the website where you can see exactly who made your clothes, where all the materials are from, and what exactly is in them. We hope to do some collaborations this year with other amazing artists and get our very own studio!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, the ebs & flows of life are inevitable. I like to call it the squiggly line of growth. You always expect everything to go up, but sometimes it has to go left and right and down. One of the main struggles I’ve faced is finding the right manufacturer. It is extremely hard to find factories that are willing to do small quantities, and are also sustainable/ transparent, which is imperative as a start-up brand to minimize waste. It was also a huge challenge after launching my brand, trying to balance being a creative artist and a businesswomen who ultimately needs to make sales to keep the company going. This company is so personal to me, and it’s sometimes hard to distinguish where the line is when I’m saying or sharing too much. Authenticity means everything to me, and being vulnerable can be really scary. Some days/ weeks, I can have really bad anxiety and therefore won’t post because it doesn’t feel “authentic.” I’m still working on finding the balance between staying completely true to myself and my vision while also keeping in mind that first and foremost, this is a business. Another challenge has been confidence. Sometimes I look at everything I’ve done and just shrug. I think it’s important to always reflect and take notice of how far you’ve come and be grateful for your growth. Patience is challenging. It’s all challenging!!!! This is the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life. You have to know you’re worthy of success <3

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Mershy is an LA-based clothing brand that explores the complexity of engaging with an ever-evolving world. I, Gabriela Mershad, am the founder and creative director. We specialize is creating luxury, eco-friendly comfort wear infused with meaning that encourages self-love and growth. For our first drop, we made t-shirts, sweatpants, and sweatshirts. We are expanding our style range however comfort and versatility always be our top priority. I take inspiration from nature and subjective ideologies. Mershy is different than most clothing brands because it isn’t just clothing. We are creating a community of like-minded individuals, that are all the journey of discovering their infinite potential through exploration and creation.

And in conjunction – it allows them to connect deeper to our precious earth and make more eco-conscious decisions. I am proud of the vulnerability that goes into creating Mershy. I’m proud to know that the work we are doing will help heal others. I like to see Mershy as an exchange of energy – we put the highest frequency into these garments, which in turn rubs off on the wearer. These are the clothes made to do the soul searching and deep digging, to explore your trauma, have life-changing realizations, and feel free in. Mershy was made to embrace our inner children + the messiness and imperfections of life.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the nature that exists in and outside of LA. I love the thrifting scene. That you can be absolutely anyone you want to be here. That there are so many other people here to follow their dreams, and you can feel that energy. I don’t like the superficial side of LA. Or the pollution. Traffic. Inauthenticity. Hard to make friends 🙁 🙂

Pricing:

• $150 – earth from space duality hoodie
• $130 – genie sweats
• $122 – infinity crews
• $180 – yin yang hoodie

Contact Info:

• Email: gabriela@mershy.com
• Website: www.mershy.com
• Instagram: mershymode gabrielamershad
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/mershymode

Image Credits:
Corrina Day (only on 3 images)