Designer Behind the Brand

"I believe that poverty is not the lack of material, but the lack of imagination to create."

Naika Colas is a Haitian-American designer, sustainability strategist, educator, and activist based in New York City. She is the Founder and Creative Director of Jacques Louis, the Founder of GAIA Collective, a sustainability consulting firm that helps brands and manufacturers strengthen their environmental and social impact strategies. She is also the founder of non-profit initiative “sewing for refuge”.
With more than 15 years of experience across sustainability, fashion, retail, and higher education, Colas previously served as Head of Sustainability for Ovation In-Store, a leading retail display manufacturer. Through her consulting work, she has helped organizations improve sustainability performance, reduce carbon emissions, advance circularity initiatives, and achieve industry-recognized ratings, including EcoVadis Gold and Platinum-level performance.
Colas holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences with concentrations in Chemistry and Marine Biology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a Master of Professional Studies in Design Management from Pratt Institute. Her multidisciplinary background informs a systems-thinking approach that bridges science, design, business strategy, and social impact.
A passionate advocate for equity and workforce development, Colas has designed and led programs, workshops, and initiatives across the United States and internationally, creating opportunities for historically underrepresented communities and emerging professionals. She has spoken on panels and at conferences around the world, including Harvard University, sharing insights on sustainability, fashion, innovation, and social change.
In academia, Colas has taught for more than six years and currently serves as an Assistant Professor of Fashion Design and Associate Director at Parsons School of Design. Her teaching philosophy centers on empowering the next generation of creative leaders through entrepreneurship, systems thinking, sustainability, and community-centered design.
Colas is also the founder of Sewing for Refuge, an initiative dedicated to creating employment pathways for refugee, asylum-seeking, and immigrant garment workers. Through her creative practice, consulting work, teaching, and community leadership, she remains committed to building a more equitable, sustainable, and inclusive future for the fashion industry and beyond.
She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated®.

So why the name Jacques Louis?

The clothing line is named after her deceased father Jacques Louis Colas. The loss of her father and watching her immigrant single mother struggle while growing up, became the driving force behind her love for the arts and community.

While studying Design Management (MPS) at Pratt Institute and working full-time with New York City's Bureau of Recycling and Sustainability, Naika Colas launched Jacques Louis, a socially conscious clothing brand aiming to build the confidence of communities affected by social and economic injustices in the U.S. and developing countries. She obtained her B.S in Biological Sciences, with a minor in chemistry from Fairleigh Dickinson University which has aided her in focusing on the Triple Bottom Line by Design + Culture business framework. She is a 2018 graduate of Pratt Institute's Design Management Master's Program. While at Pratt Institute she was awarded two grants for projects designed to uplift women of color in Haiti and Tanzania. (see articles above and below).

In September of 2018, Jacques Louis made it to the 2nd round of Tommy Hilfiger’s Social Innovation Challenge. During the process of the Social Innovation Challenge, she acted as a mentor for fourteen Impact Hub member’s and Fashion Designers based in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Her hope is to change the mindset of developing communities and their focus on sustainable living practices by designing creative pieces and projects that will unify low-to-high income communities to work together on building a better world.

“Design Thriving seeks to leverage opportunities and resources in Developing Communities across the globe in order to create thriving communities.”

— Naika Colas, MPS