Ever since she can remember, Jesica Menendez has always been inspired by fashion and seasonal trends. With her experience in different retail sectors and unique taste, she created a one-stop contemporary women’s online boutique, named Rude Rebelle. The name is inspired by herself as she wanted to create a brand that represents who and what she stands for: confidence, inner beauty, attitude, and a bit of rebellion.
For Jesica, there is something special and liberating about the fashion movement, making it possible to express yourself in the most visible way based on your individual style, tailored to one’s mood or character. She started gaining knowledge and skills to get her further in the fashion industry, starting at the age of 16. She worked in logistics and retail business management, and through her numerous roles, she acquired a great deal of experience in sales management, visual merchandising, and operations. With these skills, Jesica developed her idea for her own business: providing a one-stop-shop space for multi-faceted women.
However, it never felt like the right time to take the step. In 2016, a life-changing bitter-sweet event happened. Jesica had to say goodbye to her beloved mother while giving birth to her first daughter only two weeks later. As a result of the traumatic event of losing her mother, she fell into a dark-head space, but she instantly fell in love with her daughter and soon motherhood became her overall focus. For Jesica, becoming a mother was the most rewarding role she ever had to play, but she also needed a creative outlet. And this time it felt right to start her new business, the idea that had already been in her head for a few years.
The joy Jesica felt after taking the step, and the personal growth and innovative mindset she experienced felt empowering. She taught herself how to build a website and with help of her husband she started organizing pop-up shops at local flea markets as a way to help connect with customers and bring brand awareness and more exposure to her business. Now, she has made Rude Rebelle into a business designed to offer a carefully curated collection of effortless, timeless, and affordable quality fashion pieces. Jesica pays attention to the comfort and minimalistic designs and their relationship with the Californian lifestyle, the place where she lives. Rude Rebelle is based on dedication, passion, pop-up shops, and customers who are in search of timeless and unique styles. Although it is a one-woman business, Jesica feels lucky to have her supportive husband and family around her.
For Jesica, it is important to stop worrying about the things she can’t control, and shift her energy into what she can create. She is taking her time to develop her business, her new collections and her motherhood. One thing she has learned is that life does not get easier, and the timing will never feel completely right, but that you get stronger with every challenge that life throws your way. She feels brave, strong and resilient. But above all, she feels like her mother’s daughter and knows that her mom walks with her every step of the way.