In an era where “Black girl luxury” continues to dominate the cultural conversation, inflated costs have complicated the fantasy. Prices climb, access narrows, and luxury feels increasingly out of reach. However, for content creator Jenee Naylor, that tension revealed an opening.
Naylor, whose influence in fashion and digital spaces has been shaped by a signature aesthetic she describes as “great but simple,” has long understood the power of intention. While her outfits routinely transcend the standard tee-and-jeans formula, she credits accessories, particularly sunglasses, as the final touch that elevates a look. That understanding ultimately sparked her next chapter.
“Fashion is my niche, because I can talk about it every day,” she told theGrio. “I knew I always wanted a thing, and I was just waiting for that thing to kind of find me. Being a creator, you learn so much. You are already an entrepreneur. You’re learning marketing and all the things that go into sharing with an audience and providing value…and just so many tools. And I knew I wanted to move that into something that I could own one day.”
This inspired the creation of 12 PM Studios, an eyewear brand she founded to address a growing gap she noticed within the fashion industry.
“I feel like people were getting priced out of great design, great quality,” she expressed, noting the notable price jumps in recent years. “I want people to understand luxury is not a price point. So, I still want to offer great quality and innovative design… I want people to feel good.”
From the start, that philosophy and intention informed every decision. The brand’s name nods to personal milestones: her wedding anniversary, her birthday, the single mother who raised her, and boundless creativity. The packaging is layered and intentional. The frames are unisex. And despite its attainable pricing, Naylor measures 12 PM Studios against the highest tier of fashion.
“I always say we’re redefining luxury,” she said. “The redefining luxury is that luxury is not $500; luxury is the customer service. It’s the experience online and how you engage with the community. It’s the product, of course, that you get, and it lasts, and it’s great. It’s the packaging, it’s all of those things that add to what the luxurious experience is.”
“Even during the beginning design and sampling process, I was comparing this to the things that are $500.07 … $100,” she continued. “Before we even launched, every time I was getting samples, I was like, I have to choose 12 PM over Loewe. I have to choose 12 PM over Bottega [Veneta]. I have to choose 12 PM over Yves Saint Laurent. I needed from start to finish the experience to be luxurious.”
That level of precision is why it took Naylor and her husband, Joshua Prieto, her co-founder, two years to bring the brand to market. She wanted the product to feel right, not rushed, and to align with how she shows up for her audience. As she jokes, “I’m never going to be QVC” (no shade to QVC).
“What people need from us is to feel a little bit more stylish, which is what I use sunglasses for, right, just to be that final little thing. But I just thought that was a me thing,” she shared. “Everyone just wants that little thing that is like, ‘Okay, you know, I don’t have to work so hard today,’ or this is just going to give me a little level up, a little step up. I was learning that people don’t want to take these [glasses] off. They want to say, ‘Hey, I feel good. I look good. I feel like my outfits are a little cuter. Now, this needs to be a part of the outfit all day.’”
While Naylor carefully planned her transition from corporate life to full-time content creation, entrepreneurship introduced a new level of intensity she didn’t fully anticipate.
“I didn’t mentally prepare enough for the capacity I was going to take on,” she said, explaining how she, her husband, and her assistant juggle multiple roles managing the eyewear brand and her personal brand. “It was very overwhelming once we got into it, because I also know myself, and I should have known how immersed I was going to be in it.“
Still, the results speak for themselves. When 12 PM Studios launched in August, the brand sold out within minutes, despite operating with a lean team of just one employee, and has already surpassed its 2025 goals with just five months in business.
Describing the brand as her baby, a natural pride radiates from Naylor as she speaks of the brand. Beyond that, an irrevocable determination is evident in her voice, making it clear that this is not just another stream of income for her, but rather an actual labor of love. This is an energy that many entrepreneurs radiate, and one that Naylor wishes more consumers understood. In a sea of scams, poor customer service, etc., the 12 PM Studios co-founder is reminding shoppers that there “are still brands that just want to do good work,” encouraging them to explore new brands.
“Everybody’s not trying to get you,” she expressed. “I think that, especially with Black brands, there are so many founders that I meet that are just so passionate about the thing that they’re making and how good they can make it, and how happy they want people to be. And I resonate with that so much. I want you to have the best possible product, and I’m doing everything I can to make that.”
“It’s not a gotcha. I’m really just trying to make the best thing, and I hope that you enjoyed it. Here are a lot of people that are just trying to create something great, like, give them a chance even if it’s unknown.”
