Hi there, cuties! I have to say…with Valentine’s Day–or rather, Gal-entine’s Day as we like to say here at KKH–around the corner, I am really feeling the love! And what better way to share that loving feeling with you all than with a super-fun giveaway with the oh-so-lovely Jane Win Jewelry?
Through the end of the month, Kathy Kuo Home has teamed up with Jane Win (not to mention several other amazing, female-founded brands) on a very special Gal-entine’s Day giveaway worth $1,800! You can get all the deets on the giveaway below.
And to really celebrate this giveaway and the loving spirit of the Gal-entine’s Day season, I’m also sooo excited to introduce you all to Jane Win Jewelry founder and designer Jane Winchester Paradis! I can’t say enough about this inspiring woman–not only is she a fellow creative entrepreneur, but she’s a mama-of-five and has so much wisdom and light to share!
Read on for an inspiring Q&A (and prepare to seriously want to start jewelry shopping)!
One lucky winner will receive a $300 Gift Card to each of the below six brands (a total value of $1,800):
How to Enter:
The giveaway will live through January 31, 2022, at 11:59pm EST. The winner will be announced on the Jane Win Instagram on February 1, 2022. You can also learn more about this giveaway HERE!
At home striking a pose in my Jane Win pieces.
The Chicest Coin Jewelry — Made with Love, Passion & Irreverence
Confession: I am obsessed with founder stories! Tell me everything about how you pivoted from a career in fashion marketing to owning and designing Jane Win Jewelry (which I am also obsessed with, obviously)?
Jane Winchester Paradis: I love talking about my path to Jane Win, as it has been a wild one. I have lived a nomadic life up and down the East Coast–I was born in New Hampshire, spent my childhood in Georgia, went to boarding school in Massachusetts, went to college in Florida, and then spent many years in NYC before I settled outside Philadelphia.
I had a robust career in design and fashion marketing, working for brands such as Calvin Klein Cosmetics, Barneys New York, and Lilly Pulitzer. I am very happily married to my husband Doug, who we lovingly refer to as Mr. Jane Win, with five kids between us (ages 24,22, 20, 20, and 17).
“I started Jane Win when I was 45, probably what some would consider ‘too late’ but for me it was just right… When my youngest, Tiki, was about to enter high school I had this moment of pause–I wanted to start something from scratch, have some more flexibility to be around for the kids, to build a brand and have them be a part of it.”
Now, all five kids have worked on Jane Win in some way and the last four years have been incredible as we built our company and created some fabulous product and authentic relationships with our customers and have done it all through the craziness of COVID.
Shop Jane Win Jewelry
I always say that our main motto here at KKH is “love where you live”–do you have a similar guiding light or mission for Jane Win?
Jane Winchester Paradis: We have a set of core values that we wrote before we started the company and that we use every day to make decisions:
- We make beautiful things that embody strength and positivity. We expect our designs to be passed from generation to generation with love.
- We are not afraid to be ourselves. We are happy, have fun and celebrate a little irreverence.
- We are humble. We embrace individuality. We treat everyone (customers, employees, and vendors) with respect. We take the time to do things right.
- We run a modern, visionary business. We create and adapt innovative strategies to build a strong company that delivers a special experience to our consumer. We surpass expectations.
- We share. When the company succeeds, we share in our good fortune.
Even though I am in *love* with pretty much everything you sell, I’m curious about which products would you consider to be your “signature” items in your jewelry line?
Jane Winchester Paradis: The core of our brand is coin jewelry. Each coin has a design on one side, and a word paired with our crescent moon and star logo on the other. Each piece ships in the prettiest printed box with a card that explains the word on the coin and the meaning behind the piece.
“There is a design for each different milestone in your life. Each coin and design is meant to hold meaning for the wearer.”
There is a feeling, a direction, an intent to each piece. Some are light hearted, like celebrating LUCKY in all its forms. Some are serious, like our PEACE coin to give you a touchstone to someone you have lost. Some are full of emotion, like the JOY we feel from motherhood.
The lovely Jane Winchester Paradis
Inspired Entrepreneurship & Customer Connections at Jane Win Jewelry
One thing I love to ask fellow entrepreneurs is where they draw their inspiration from! What’s your biggest source of inspo as a designer? What makes you say “Oh yeah, that needs to be on one of my coins”?
Jane Winchester Paradis: Ohhh, I am truly all over the place but if I had to choose, really it’s art and my own crazy drawings.
“I love to sketch, it gives me time to dream. I love looking through art books. And the symbolism that we see in flowers, in animals, in the stars–they all come together for me in funny little doodles that then become pieces of jewelry.”
We have an incredible designer in house that I work with to bring it to life. Literally sometimes I will say: “I had this dream about a new piece” and they will create something based on a dream I had about a fox.
I know first-hand that running a business–especially one based in a creative field–is a rollercoaster sometimes! What have the biggest joys and challenges been for you as an entrepreneur?
Jane Winchester Paradis: The biggest joy? It’s the connections! It is building a brand that has employees that come to work and laugh and have fun creating our brand.
“The biggest joy comes from the authentic connections. It’s chatting with customers and having them connect to a coin so much that it brings them to tears–this happens a lot with moms buying the Forever coin for their daughter.”
I would say the biggest challenge is staying confident in your unique point of view and building something despite the rejections, despite people wanting you to follow a trend. The confidence it takes to be an entrepreneur is staggering!
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The Spirit of Gal-entine’s Day? Women Supporting Women!
I have to be super-honest for a minute: I really feel like you and I have so much in common–both business founders, both moms, both in creative fields. For me and my team, this partnership just seems so natural! What drew you to KKH when you were thinking about giveaway partners?
Jane Winchester Paradis: Love this question! You know, I have felt for a long time that there was “talk” about women supporting women…but there wasn’t as much action.
I am so completely drawn to you and your business, Kathy, because you genuinely takes time and energy to pull women up with you.
I want to do the same. You have to take action. You have to be authentic in the effort. That is so clearly the case with you–so you’re like a magnet for goodness!
Finally, is there anything new and exciting on the horizon for your business that you’d like to share with the Kuotes cuties?
Yes–so so much! We are an online digital-first brand, so we have thrown out the traditional seasonal launches and we introduce new product almost every week. You can sign up for our emails to stay in the loop.
“We have a million new hearts coming soon, we have a giant collection to celebrate Mother’s Day–very special and meaningful pieces. In addition to all that newness, we are launching a Bridal Gifting Suite of product to help brides find gorgeous sentimental pieces for their bridesmaids.”
The packaging is just stunning and we are making it all customizable, from their monogram on perfect baby blue jewelry pouches to engravable charms for names and dates not to be forgotten!
Shop Valentine’s Day Gifts from Kathy Kuo Home
Kathy Kuo Home Design Services
Feeling inspired by KKH and Jane Win Jewelry? In addition to being a source for beautiful high quality furnishings and decor, Kathy Kuo Home has a team of professional interior designers that are ready to assist with all of your interior design needs. Our services provide multiple layout and design options that fit your style and budget for any room. You will work with a team of designers and project managers to help you truly love where you live.
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