Cottage by the Sea: Where are you from on Maui?
Tiffany Chou: I grew up in Kula and then as I got older and my relatives got older, my dad wanted to be closer to his work down in Wailuku, so we eventually we moved downtown. So that’s where my Dad’s based, now.
CBS: That’s awesome! Yeah, Kula is more upcountry, right? It’s really beautiful.
Tiffany: I love upcountry. Not as hot. We lived in Pukalani for a little too.
CBS: At what age were you interested in art and jewelry making?
Tiffany: I guess I’ve always been interested in art, even when I didn’t know it. I won a sand castle contest when I was, like, five or something. And I think, that is where it all started even thought I didn’t know it. And then jewelry, I’ve been making jewelry and clothing since around middle school age. And then I started selling my stuff for extra cash. And then when it actually turned into a business was when I moved to New York.
CBS: Was it difficult to start your business?
Tiffany: So, in college, after I graduated, I went to school in Chicago, I knew, I always had to eventually go to New York. It’s the epicenter of fashion. And so I moved there, and I was like, I’m going to get some experience and then I want to eventually have my own line. I had no idea how that was going to happen, at all. Like, no game plan. Then two years after living in New York, I was kinda at a point where I was like, you know, I moved here for a reason, I’ve been working for all these other people...
CBS: It’s now or never.
Tiffany: Yeah. And kinda right around that time, uh, the company I was working for, bought out a metal casting company. And so, I had been carrying my sea shells with me for some reason and they finally came into use. And I started experimenting with casting sea shells. And that is kinda where, and I was like, hey! people are interested in this stuff. ‘Cause it’s different from, you know, most. I love the shell jewelry, but, I was living on the east coast and it wasn’t really a sustainable practice for me out there. So this kind of works.
