I WAS BORN IN THE LATE 70S ON THE ISLAND OF FIJI TO ARTISTIC DIY PARENTS. MY MOM, A COLONIAL ISLANDER, SEWED HER OWN CLOTHES AS A TEENAGER BASED ON INSPIRATION SHE FOUND IN VANITY FAIR MAGAZINES SHE'D ORDER FROM AMERICA. HER SIMPLE FIJIAN UPBRINGING AND LIMITED ACCESS TO FASHION TRENDS INSPIRED AN ORIGINAL STYLE THAT WAS TRULY HER OWN. WHEN I WAS FIVE WE MOVED TO NEW ZEALAND AND MY MOM CONTINUED THIS TRADITION OF SEWING MY ENTIRE WARDROBE UNTIL I FOUND IT NO LONGER “COOL” TO WEAR HER HANDMADE GARMENTS. HER PASSION FOR CREATING AND SEWING HER CHILDREN'S CLOTHES ULTIMATELY INSPIRED MY LOVE FOR VINTAGE FASHION, CRAFTSMANSHIP AND WELL TAILORED PIECES.

AT SEVENTEEN I LEFT NEW ZEALAND AND STARTED TRAVELING AS A MODEL AROUND THE WORLD. WORKING IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY, I QUICKLY BECAME TIRED OF TRENDS AND WAS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR CLOTHES THAT HAD A NOSTALGIC, OLD WORLD FEEL. THIS ULTIMATELY LEAD ME TO DESIGN A LINE THAT WAS METICULOUSLY TAILORED LIKE MY MOTHERS HEIRLOOM PIECES YET SUITED MY NEW CALIFORNIA/HAWAII LIFESTYLE.

KARA THOMS IS ETHICALLY PRODUCED BY A SMALL FAMILY RUN BUSINESS, EVERYTHING IS MADE BY THE LOVING HANDS OF A SMALL GROUP OF IN HOUSE TAILORS (NOT IN A FACTORY) HANDPICKED BY ME ON A TRIP TO BALI. WE MAKE SURE OUR WORKERS ARE HAPPY AND WELL LOOKED AFTER. BALI HAS MANY CEREMONIAL HOLIDAYS SO OUR PRODUCTION TIMES CAN VARY BUT ARE USUALLY AROUND 8 WEEKS. MY HOPE IS THAT YOU WILL WEAR THESE CLOTHES LIKE AN HEIRLOOM; KNOWING THAT OUR GARMENTS ARE MADE IN SMALL QUANTITIES BY SKILLED ARTISANS, WITH MY MOTHER'S LEGACY OF STYLE AND CRAFT STITCHED INTO EACH PIECE. MAY THEIR BEAUTY AND GRACE BLESS YOUR LIFE. MARAU [ENJOY!]