Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jeanice Parker . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Jeanice , appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
At FOUR CEES, our mission is to share a philosophy that tangible products should embody more than surface-level allure. We believe that products should be designed to reflect an individual’s intellectual, moral, and spiritual orientation.
The story behind our mission came to life over time. As the Founder of FOUR CEES, I began to live out what the FOUR C’s actually stood for; Creating a Clean Clear Conscious. As I proclaimed this statement to be our mission, I began to form a new identity within myself. An identity that spoke to the embodiment of who I was as a whole. I was more than just beauty that meets the eye. There were several parts of me that I knew I loved about myself that I wasn’t sharing with the world. There were parts of me that I was hiding, that I didn’t know how to bring to the surface. I had many passions, interests, and desires that I wanted to embark on but there was something that was holding me back and keeping me trapped. Fear, doubt, disbelief, comparison and an attachment to a social structure that had become a societal norm to keep me “safe”. I felt like I was living a life that didn’t speak to my heart’s desires, nor did it speak the highest version of the person God created me to be.
The story behind our mission is one of truth, liberation and awareness. FOUR CEES changed my life. It shifted my life in the direction of authenticity and freedom. Every aspect of it allowed me to be who I knew I was born to be. A part of me that many do not know about is that I deeply care about the evolution of humanity. I care about educating others on how to liberate themselves. I love information, art, design, and spirituality. Art and design is something that I inherited being from Harlem, NY, the birthplace of the Renaissance Arts. Spirituality was a new journey that I embarked on around the same time I began FOUR CEES, giving me the tools that I needed to keep going and pursuing my dreams. I believe spiritually is simply one word; awareness. The ability to be present and aware in each moment. Tasting, touching, seeing, hearing and feeling. FOUR CEES has allowed me to take all of the things I love/ am passionate about and create a brand that spoke to just that. It helped me believe that I was worthy and deserving of honoring who I was and what I wanted in life. I believe that our mission will have a lasting effect on humanity with the intention of spreading a vibration of authenticity, love, and light.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
Growing up in Harlem, NY was an experience that I will never forget. As a young adult I absorbed our culture in its entirety. I loved everything about Harlem. I was fascinated by the way we express ourselves in the areas of fashion, music, and lifestyle . We lived a lifestyle that exuded innovation and authenticity. At a young age, I would say when I was around 14 or 15 years is when I had the chance to explore our culture independently. Whether it was attending community events, parties or even choosing my own style that reflected my personality. Harlem helped shape my identity, my love for fashion and my love for creativity and the Arts. Dapper Dan, ASAP Mob, Ma$e, and Teyana Taylor are all artists that grew up in Harlem and had a lasting effect on the entertainment industry. But it wasn’t until my mid 20’s when I took a guided walking tour through my community where I truly discovered why I loved my birthplace. I learned about every historical landmark in Harlem and the story of its roots. It was then that I knew that all of my creative pursuits stemmed from the true essence of Harlem, its spirit and its originality.
In 2009, straight out of high school, I went to a 2 year and majored in Fashion Merchandising followed by a 4 year where I majored in Communications. Both schools were located upstate NY. Not knowing what career path to take I studied majors that would keep me as interested in school as possible. While in school I joined a Fashion Show Production Club and participated in several fashion shows to feed my dream at the time of becoming a runway model. During that time I was still a shy timid girl with a small group of friends that loved to collect every issue of Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and whatever relevant fashion magazine that was on a newsstand. I studied fashion magazines and collected data in which I incorporated into my style. My fashion sense spoke for me because I barely engaged with any one other than my off campus house mates. Fashion was my voice.
In 2013 I gave birth to my now 9 year old daughter, left school and moved back to NYC. It was then that I realized I wanted to pursue a career in the Arts. When I had my daughter, I felt like a new person. She gave me a creative drive that led me to joining Custom Collaborative in 2017. Custom Collaborative is a Fashion Training Institute incubator program that teaches low income and immigrant women about the basics of Fashion Design. It was based in Harlem, NY. Prior to joining Custom Collab, I worked in Retail and Admin Assistant positions while creating passion projects in the areas of film, photography, writing and styling. Custom Collab gave me the confidence and the foundation to begin my career as a Fashion Designer. My first design during my studies at Custom Collab was a handbag, but that wasn’t what I was ultimately passionate about. The stories that I was able to tell through my clothing designs and personal styling is the reason I began designing. My designs gave me an outlet to be vulnerable and free.
In 2019 after graduating Custom Collaborative, I was accepted into The Lillian Project, also an incubator program, where I learned about business planning, marketing and finance. This was the scary part, understanding how a business operated. There were so many components that I didn’t know I needed to be a successful business owner. But it didn’t deter me, I just knew that it would take a lot of consistency to pursue my dreams. Juggling a passionate dream and motherhood took a lot of effort. I decided to take a break from designing and began to work a 9-5 to provide for my daughter. I took a position as an Executive Assistant to a scientist who was the Founder of the Health Think Tank for stability and security. That position came to an end in 2020 when I had a change of heart influenced by the controversy taking place, centering around the death of George Floyd. An empath at heart I felt what the world was feeling. It was a pivotal point in society. A time where many people were experiencing isolation, growing pains, and mental health issues. A time where I was experiencing a spiritual ascension. A time where I experienced two deaths in my family that changed my family’s lives forever. It was in this very timeline that I birthed FOUR CEES. During this time I grew a deeper inner-standing of my purpose and the legacy I wanted to leave behind.
FOUR CEES, founded in 2020 is a New York fashion brand born during the pandemic that embodies the principles of create, clean, clear, and conscious, which supports the future of design and brings long-term benefits to humanity. We’re dedicated to fostering exemplary leadership and community engagement in the design world. We curate and distribute small goods that are not only enchanting but also meaningful. We use conceptual theories and expressive art to create products that embody a deeper purpose. From our handcrafted handbags to our forthcoming curated apparel and home decor. Each item is carefully selected and crafted to reflect a philosophy of mindful living. Our mission is to share a philosophy that tangible products should embody more than surface-level allure. We believe that products should be designed to reflect an individual’s intellectual, moral, and spiritual orientation. Teaching color theory and uplifting educational tactics for our consumers to shift and transform their life in the area of health and wellness. We are dedicated to fostering exemplary leadership and community engagement in the design world.
At FOUR CEES, we aim to revolutionize the design industry by building a bridge between art, spirituality and design. Our latest collection titled the I AM Handbags were created to symbolize the essence of vibration, energy and frequency. With each handbag name being an affirmation, we encourage our consumers to internally affirm what they wish to see in their externally reality.
Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?
During my pursuit of creating FOUR CEES there were many philosophical teachings and books that I studied. To name a few, Abraham Hicks – Law of Attraction, Robert Dilt – The Ego Self vs The Soul Self, Eckhart Tolle – The Power of Now, Joseph Rodriguez – State of Mind, Bruce Lipton – Reprogramming the Subconscious Mind, Tim Turner- The Roadmap to Freedom, Santos Bonacci – The Truth about Religion, Don Miguel Ruiz – The Five Levels of Attachment, David Kasneci – Project 369
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
As I was building FOUR CEES and creating a clean, clear consciousness. It tied into developing a new identity that aligned with my highest, best self. My faith and belief system was consistently tested. I had to unlearn and relearn a new belief system that matched what I now valued. This meant creating a consistent routine that consisted of reprogramming my subconscious mind. I practiced hypnosis and mind/heart meditation to rid of any negative beliefs that I had about myself that were interfering with me aligning with what I wanted. I attended yoga, sound bowl classes and engaged in activities that fostered balance into my life such as inner child activities with my daughter. Being consistent in these practices took a lot of resilience. Especially the mind/heart meditation. That was the most intense experience I’ve ever had. While I was experiencing this process I was also a full time mother, building FOUR CEES and attempting to have a time for myself
It also took alot of resilience to not let outside opinions jade my new belief system. With my new belief system, I valued ease and grace, I valued self care. I valued listening to my body and trusting my inner voice. I value aligning with opportunities, not chasing opportunities. I believed in speaking what I wanted into existence and not resisting when things came to me effortlessly. A lot of the time people believe that work has a lot to do with physical and tangible things when it has more to do with how you feel about yourself, how you treat and speak to yourself. I believe the highest form of currency you can ever obtain is energy. Your personal frequency and vibration is the reason why your reality reflects as such, your current reality is mirror to your internal world.
Contact Info:
- Website: Business: fourceesofficial.com | Personal: jeanicepstudios.squarespace.com
- Instagram: Business: @fourceesofficial | Personal: @jeaniceparker
- Facebook: fourceesofficial
- Linkedin: Jeanice Parker | Link : https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeaniceparker714/
- Twitter: @fourceestheday
Image Credits
Photo Of Jeanice + Model, Photo of Jeanice with Black Strapless Dress, Photo of 3 Handbags Stacked up by Camila Falquez, Photo of Two Models in Green and Pink Outfit by Travis Matthews, Photo Of Jeanice Sitting with Hand on Chin by Antonio Griffith, Photo of Jeanice standing with purple bag in hand by Olufemi Yessoufou