Sweet Honey started in 2014, when I was pregnant with my second child. I had always loved shopping and playing dress-up with my first daughter, but I found myself searching for pieces that I just couldn't find — clothing that was fun and fashionable, yet still comfortable and functional enough for babies and kids to actually be kids. So, I started creating my own.

A lot of my inspiration came from memories of growing up in Hawaiʻi. I loved my grandma's Hawaiian-print patchwork blankets and the colorful Hawaiian muʻumuʻu my mom would wear to work. Those prints, colors and fabrics were such a familiar part of my childhood, and I began reimagining that nostalgia through my own love of fashion and design — creating pieces for my babies that felt a little more us.

At the time, it was simply a creative hobby. But when I started sharing what I was making, other moms began asking where they could get the pieces for their own kids. That's when I realized I might not be the only mom looking for something different. With just $500, I took a chance on my first small collection — and that little hobby became the beginning of Sweet Honey Hawaii.

I’m Jenn — a mom, designer, and the founder of Sweet Honey Hawaii. I was born and raised on Oʻahu and have loved fashion, art and creating for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Hawaiʻi shaped so much of my personal style — a mix of color, prints, island life, and the memories and people that surrounded me.

My journey in fashion started when I was 17 and eventually took me to Los Angeles, where I studied graphic design at FIDM. While there, I worked as a graphic artist for Forever 21 and a fashion manufacturing company, and also experienced the luxury side of retail while working at Barneys New York in Beverly Hills. After returning home to Hawaiʻi, I joined Blue Hawaii Surf as both a women’s buyer and graphic artist. Throughout the last 12 years of building Sweet Honey, I’ve also continued taking on freelance design work — something I’ve always loved because it keeps my creativity flowing, challenges me to think differently, and continues to inspire the designer I am today.

Outside of Sweet Honey, I’m a mom of 3 + 3 kids and one XXL pit bull who definitely counts as another baby. 🤍 I’m happiest outside and surrounded by nature — at the beach, swimming, hiking, practicing yoga, or finding a little quiet time to meditate. I love traveling and experiencing new places, and I’m always up for a little adventure — especially zip-lining or white-water rafting. I find inspiration everywhere, and so much of what I see, experience, and love eventually finds its way back into my creativity and the world of Sweet Honey.

Sweet Honey has grown right alongside me and my family. What started in 2014 as a small creative hobby slowly became something much bigger — one collection, one customer and one opportunity at a time. There was never a perfectly mapped-out plan. I learned as I went, took chances, made mistakes, celebrated the wins and kept showing up. As my kids grew, Sweet Honey grew too, expanding from those first pieces for my babies into collections for kids, women, men and entire families.

Behind that growth were also some of the hardest seasons of my life. After becoming a mom, I experienced postpartum depression, and in 2017, while raising my family and continuing to grow Sweet Honey, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. There were moments when I was balancing motherhood, my health and a growing business all at once. Creating became an outlet for me — something that gave me purpose, kept my mind moving forward and allowed me to turn difficult seasons into something positive. Those experiences changed me and taught me that growth doesn't always happen in a straight line.

More than 12 years later, Sweet Honey has grown into something I could never have imagined when I created that first little collection — from selling online and at events to growing a team, opening our retail stores here on Oʻahu and building a community of families along the way. Some of our customers have been with us long enough that we've watched their babies grow up alongside mine, which is one of the most meaningful parts of this journey. Through every season, Sweet Honey has continued to evolve with me — and I'm incredibly grateful for everyone who has grown with us. 🤍

Designing has always been my favorite part of Sweet Honey. Inspiration can come from almost anywhere — a memory from my childhood, a place I’ve traveled, colors I see in nature, vintage Hawaiian print, a fabric, or even one small idea that turns into an entire collection. I’m especially drawn to pieces that feel nostalgic but can be reimagined in a fresh, modern way. Hawaiʻi will always be at the heart of what I create, but I love mixing those island influences with fashion, travel and whatever is inspiring me in that moment.

Every collection starts with a vision. I think about the prints, color palette, fabrics, silhouettes and how all the pieces will work together before bringing everything to life. I love playing with unexpected colors and taking familiar island elements — florals, lei, tropical leaves and patterns I grew up around — and interpreting them through my own style. Just as important as how something looks is how it feels and functions. I want our pieces to be comfortable, wearable and made for kids and families to actually live in.

Even after more than 12 years, I still get excited seeing an idea go from something in my head to a finished Sweet Honey collection. And my favorite part is seeing what happens after I put it out into the world — watching families wear the pieces, style them in their own way and create their own memories in them. I may create the pieces, but you make them your own. 🤍