"The most important thing I have learned to do is to trust my inner voice," says Kathy Kamei, designer and CEO of the line of jewelry that bears her name, "and if I can create a piece of jewelry that inspires a person to break from the pack and celebrate their own uniqueness, that is the most exciting thing I can ever hope to do in my work." Kamei credits her desire to celebrate women, as the insp
iration for her business. "I have always struggled with mass consumerism," says Kamei, who grew up the middle child of three daughters in Alberta, Canada. "As women, we don't need to always have 'more' things, but what we do wear, should empower us and give meaning to our passions." Kamei's journey to create her company began with a courageous trip she took to Bali with her two daughters. "The Balinese are the most beautiful human beings I have ever encountered," says Kamei, whose six-month excursion turned into a nine-year romance with the land. " I had never seen such heart, love, sprit and graciousness expressed in a community." Before Kamei left the island, she created her line of jewelry, hand-crafted in Bali by artisans. From pendants which encourage us to open our hearts, to earrings which remind us to be mindful, the message of each piece reaches toward spiritual fulfillment. "I have an idea what a piece means," says Kamei, who, like the family she came from, is now the mother of three daughters, Sydney, Alexa and Kenzi, "but everyone will uncover their own personal understanding. That's the beauty of this work, to encourage people to seek their own truth." Kathy Kamei designs can be found in the Red Envelope Catalogue and at Boutiques across the Country.