A Sister Collaboration!
Ever since we were little, my sister Lauren and I enjoyed doing the same things. We played together constantly as kids, participated in the same sports and even wore the same clothes! At an early age we both would craft things and set up a store outside of our house to sell them to our neighbors. We would make little sticker books, crafts we learned in school, lemonade and popsicles during the summer. Our best customer was a sweet 80-year-old man who would buy our things just to see us smile! I really don’t think he had any use for all those sticker books he bought but we were very grateful.
Since then, my sister and I have gone through different careers. I started Jules + Gem Hawaii about five years ago and am thrilled to see it grow to where it is today. The early years of my life spending time creating things and selling them even in our small neighborhood set the stage for my entrepreneurial spirit and it did the same thing for my sister. She is now starting her own business called Kūlike & Co., designing women’s apparel for all shapes and sizes of Hawaii. Her designs are inspired by our Hawaiian roots and culture and the fabric is created with recycled materials that feel as soft silk to the touch. I got to wear her designs for the first time and I didn’t want to take it off! It made me feel confident and beautiful, which is what Kūlike stands for.
My sister has been through a lot in her life and like all hardships, they only make you stronger after emerging from them. She wanted to create clothes for all women, to help them realize their worth and how beautiful they are no matter how many scars they may have. Accepting who we are and embracing all of our flaws is one step to happiness!
We wanted to create a fragrance for Kūlike that would compliment the gorgeous designs and feel of the apparel. We named this fragrance Oia'i'o, which means to be genuine and true to one’s self in Hawaiian. It has sultry fragrance notes of vanilla, orchid, and jasmine. Our hope is that when you burn your ‘Oia’i’o candle, you'll feel beautiful in your own skin. We hope to launch a fragrance parfum later this year for Kūlike, so stay tuned for more!
My sister’s shop, Kūlike & Co. launches online this Friday, August 6th at 9:00 a.m. HST! Also be sure to follow @kulike.co on Instagram and enter our giveaway which closes on Thursday, August 5.
I hope you like Kūlike Co.’s designs as much as I do!Love,
Lana