Le’Marqunita De’Sharay Lowe is the Founder and CEO of Black & Creme boutique.  Le’Marqunita Lowe is a PhD scholar, 10 year educator, author, entrepreneur of a clean beauty company, and social justice advocate.  Ms. Lowe is a current PhD student in Leadership and Change at Antioch University.  She holds a Master of Education from the University of Southern California graduating Magna Cum Laude.  She holds a Bachelor of Liberal Studies from Bowling Green State University with a focus in political science, history, and ethnic studies. 

Ms. Lowe was a former Pageant Queen holding the title of Miss Elite Earth California 2016 and Miss Black US Ambassador 2014.  She also represented California as Miss Palo Alto in the 2014 Miss California USA competition.  Currently, she is completing her PhD program, operating as CEO of Mercury III cosmetics, a volunteer with Empower54, and a Board of Director member for the National African Student Association.  Ms. Lowe is a hiring partner with Girls For a Change.

Check out our hiring partner "Girls for a Change"

 

 

From our Founder Le'Marqunita Lowe

As a conscious lover of Nature and the Cosmos, I always had a love for sustainable fashion and clean beauty.  The beginning of my transition to a sustainable lifestyle was when I launched a handmade vegan cosmetic company called "Mercury III".  Growing up in inner cities like Cleveland, Ohio, the word "sustainable" fashion was rare because it was not accessible in the marginalized neighborhood that I grew up in as a child.  When I moved to Palo Alto, California, walking into stores like Anthropologie was my fashion Disney world.  However, there was still a stark reality that hit my mind.  I rarely saw Black-owned designers in the sustainable space.  I rarely saw minority local designers fashion being sold in big stores without the seasonal tokenism that came attached to it. 

Black & Creme was my way of opening the door for all sustainable designers, small businesses, local businesses, Black-owned businesses, and free trade organizations to sell on a retail platform where we all can realign back with the land, fiber, and people.  My appreciation for indigenous communities comes with direct experience of me living abroad in Buenos Aires, Argentina and Ecuador.  I gained a deep respect for farmers and people who truly know the meaning of alignment with Nature.  There is a re-education needed in the sustainable community that is more educational versus shame mongering.  I am happy to use my fashion passion, PhD research, and love for all to bring loving awareness to the sustainable fashion space.