Rachel and Marshea Fenderson are a sibling duo among the ranks of the brothers who successfully launched GUESS and the sibling pair behind Mickey London. These sisters grew up watching their mother and aunt face the world everyday while dressed uniquely, from necklace to heels. This constant procession of effortless art was absorbed by Rachel, and detailed and reassembled by Marshea. These two bring together the two halves of the fashion world: the designs, and the business that sells them. 

Rachel is the creative spirit and the design core of Pepper Jacques. She has been drawn to color, texture, and intoxicating lines that accentuate the female form for as long as she can remember, and she’s always made an entrance. Rachel’s fashion prowess debuted at 5 years old, when she dressed from braids to Mary Janes in shimmering fabrics, mini heels, lace stockings, and a shoulder bag. With that emboldened and fresh spirit, she designs so that every woman, whether she is a Pepper or a Jacques, also makes an entrance.

She pairs her design training from Parsons and degree in English Literature from Hofstra to do just that. Like building a compound sentence, Rachel’s first design stratum is the shape. She stretches lines beyond their current iterations in order to precisely emphasize the curve and curl of a woman’s form. The complexity builds as Rachel chooses fabric that is not only high quality, but also graceful and comfortable. Her designs are intricate, but effortlessly communicate the best fit for women of all shapes. Rachel has an eye for accuracy, the direction of the market, and a sixth sense for how best to whet the palette of Pepper Jacques’ sophisticated shopper. 

Rachel’s inherent creativity is perfectly complimented by her sister’s analytical mind. Marshea, COO and the business core of Pepper Jacques’ calculated approach and mission, is an engineer and ‘traditional fashion’ outsider by trade. Marshea studied Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University, and worked for the technical giant IBM. She spent two years as the Executive Director of a non-profit mentorship program geared towards young women, and fourteen years in corporate America. After that, she realized that she could further develop a top brand if she worked on Pepper Jacques full time.

Her business acumen has served her well for a long time, as Marshea began capitalizing on opportunities for entrepreneurship as early as grade school. When lanyards became heavily in demand on the playground, she convinced her mother to buy them in bulk so that she could serve and benefit from the popular demand. However, she does more than bring her analytical mind to the business model of Pepper Jacques. She brings her own unique style and outlook on fashion.

Marshea was born with an eye for coordination and was teased as a toddler for coordinating her shoes and barrettes with her school uniform. Today, she layers looks with bold color, energetic fabrics, and sky-high heels that dazzle. Her versatility and world travels allow her to identify as either a Pepper or a Jacques on any given day, and to understand that fashion is for any woman who is bold enough to take it on.

Daughters of Jamaican immigrant parents, both Rachel and Marshea have a work ethic fueled by a determination to succeed. Their long-term goal is to make fashion more accessible to both the creative and the analytical mind. Pepper Jacques was born by pairing Rachel’s design prowess and Marshea’s business acumen. Together the two attributes make more than a recipe for success; they create the fashion brand of the future.