Meet Marissa Lloyd | Owner of Psicodelico Rave Clothing Co.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marissa Lloyd and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marissa, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
One thing in the clothing and fashion industry that outsiders are unaware of is the amount of material and work that goes into creating clothes. I was guilty of this too, before I started making my own clothes, I didn’t even think about the fact that someone had to cut and sew the clothes I was wearing, let alone how much the fabric, thread, labor, and any embellishments cost.

This is really common today because large corporations encourage mass consumption and fast trends to make money. They hire workers overseas who are overworked and underpaid in poor conditions to increase their profit. Fast fashion has made us believe clothes cost much less than they really do. The cost is being cut somewhere. Everything is handmade by someone. Sewing and making garments is a skill that can take years to master.

Corporations also create so much waste and pollution by throwing out clothes with “imperfections” and burning items that don’t sell rather than donate them to maintain their brand image. It’s very unfortunate that this ethical responsibility falls on the consumer to consume consciously. There is definitely an evil and unethical side to this industry, so when you support a small/handmade business you’re not only supporting someone’s dream but also a more ethical process of making clothes you can feel good about wearing. Luckily there are so many rave girls out there who get it and love supporting small businesses, and I couldn’t be more grateful for them. They’re the whole reason I’m able to do what I do and live my dream.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I always knew I wanted to be a business owner and have something of my own. I’ve always been a creative person, dabbling in different forms of self expression since I was little, from drawing, painting, hooping, I even tried candle making.

I fell in love with festivals and raves in 2015. I was donating clothes in college a couple years later and wanted to repurpose some into rave clothes. I cut up a pair of shorts and hand sewed it into a (really poorly made) bodysuit. Right then and there I wrote down that I wanted to start a rave clothing business and knew this was my dream. I wanted to make clothes to allow those who wear them to feel sexy, confident, and allow them to express their beautiful souls.

I shelved this idea for 4 years. I even invested in a sewing machine to collect dust for the rest of my college career. Even though I had no idea how to use it or make clothes I would drape and hand sew fabric ever year for Lost Lands, a dinosaur themed festival in Ohio.

When covid hit I found so much more time to get back to my artistic roots and explore mediums. I got addicted to tik tok and found myself seeing videos of people sewing. I started learning, YouTubing, and finally getting around to attempting to make fits. I just kept going and planning to launch this dream business of mine, originally called Lucid. I decided to go with Psicodelico instead and figured out everything as I went.

I was working a soul crushing desk job in legal marketing at the time that I was giving my all to and in return felt unfulfilled and unappreciated. I knew I wanted to get out and work for myself on my own time. This really pushed me to finally start my business I had been holding back on. I decided if I was going to work 8 hours for someone else every day I would do something for myself with the rest of my day. After work, I would take small steps like make a new design, work on my website, take product photos, figure out how to ship items, etc. all those little steps added up and I’ve just kept going since then.

What sets me apart from others is my style. When fabric shopping in the LA Fashion District, I always ask for “crazy and colorful.” Trippy prints and empowering designs are what I love to make. I truly believe clothing is such a form of self expression so each rave clothing company in this community is special and beautiful in its own way. You can look at a piece and tell who made it. There’s no competition in this niche. Every one of these brands is offering their own gifts to the world and we all support and admire each other’s work.

Some of my favorite lessons I’ve learned on this journey can be put into quotes.

I have two favorite quotes that I live by (especially in my business). The first is “Feel the fear and do it anyway.” You can’t let that voice in your head win if you really want to do something or feel called to share something with the world. You just have to do it. Every time I heard that voice in my head asking “what if you fail?” “What if people judge you?” I IMMEDIATELY shut it down and kept going.

Staring a business is scary. Putting yourself out there is scary. Not knowing if it will succeed is scary. But you’ll never know unless you try. Feel the fear and do it anyways.

My second is “Chase your dreams because it might turn out better than you could have ever imagined” this is something I find myself saying based on my experience. Even though I fully believed I was going to be successful in my heart and soul, I think about in the beginning when I had 0 followers, no one knew my name, I was undervaluing my product and I’m SO amazed at where I am now, the amazing connections and friendships I’ve made along the way that I would have missed out on had I not at least tried. Chances are if you’re doing something for the right reason and are passionate about what you’re providing for others and the mission behind it, you’ll make it.

I want the world to know that you can chase your dream no matter how untraditional or different it may be. If you’re passionate about something andyour intentions behind it are pure, you will be successful.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my friend was visiting Houston and I wanted to show them the best time ever, I would take them to Allen Parkway for a beautiful nature walk, scootering downtown. We’d go to “Seismic” a mind bending art museum and a concert at 9pm Venue at night. On Sunday I would take my friend to Lost Lotus Yoga for yoga, journaling, and meditation. On Tuesday we’d have dinner at Blue Sushi Sake Grill for vegan sushi rolls. We’d most definitely have a park date at the Menil Museum and pick up some Project Pollo (a Vegan Chick-fil-a like drive through). I’d also be sure to take them to my favorite vintage store, Retropolis (which just reopened).

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to shout out my friend and inspiration Taylor Medows. She fearlessly chased her dream of being a yoga instructor and moving to Austin, TX by herself. We had a going away breakfast and I was telling her how much I hated my desk job and wanted to leave. Seeing her going after her calling with no hesitation inspired me to take that leap of faith. I went to every single one of her classes in Houston and watched her grow into the amazing teacher she is now. She hosted a retreat in Austin last year and it was such an amazing experience to look inward and be present (and just hosted her first international retreat in Guatemala!). She touches so many souls through her business Mindful Medows and has cultivated such a beautiful community. She is hard working, genuine, and does truly meaningful work. Taylor is changing lives and providing amazing experiences to help others. I couldn’t be more proud or inspired by how she shares her gift with the world. I would not be where I am today if I hadn’t seen her going for her dreams.

Website: www.shoppsicodelico.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shop.psicodelico/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/shoppsicodelico

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shop.psicodelico

Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@shop.psicodelico?lang=en

Image Credits
Sarah Cartwright Photography