Hi all.
My name is Sierra Jeong and I am the one behind this JOOHWA account. I wanted to take time to explain what exactly JOOHWA is and the story of how it all began. AKA share the story of me.
So where to begin? I guess it starts with talking a little bit about my upbringing. My parents have been in the jewelry business for 33 years this year (November is the anniversary month) and I was always surrounded by sparkly things. My earliest memories are of me spending time at my parents' shop in Waikiki at their original shop location in Waikiki Beach Hotel, now the Aston Waikiki. With my younger brother Harrison, we'd frolic around the hotel waiting around for our parents. (We would trick-or-treat at ABC stores if that gives a visual for how I spent a lot of my childhood, including holidays.) Peering into the glass cases, I would stare at the trays of rings, bracelets, necklaces and earrings absolutely mesmerized by all the sparkle. It didn't matter that I was there everyday and was seeing the same inventory all the time, I loved it all.
JOOHWA Archives is named after my father, who is moreso well-known as Uncle Joe, because he's been the inspiration to so much in my life for 29 years now. He is my very first style icon. Beyond that, he is my first role model in every sense of the title because of his work ethic and boundless heart.
Dad always taught me to be bold and a go getter for myself, to be self-sufficient, but in doing so always remembering to lead my life with compassion and kindness. Toxic masculinity never existed in my household because my father has always embraced both masculine and feminine sides of himself, unafraid and unapologetic of his own funky fashion choices that others questioned to his extremely flamboyant personality. I grew up embracing strength, independence and ferocity in a woman because that's the kind of daughter my father raised me to be.
Both of my parents never wanted me to "take over" their business. Per the all-too-familiar Asian immigrant kid narrative, I was told that being a doctor and lawyer would be more stable and steady job to have. The struggles that immigrants face to acclimate to a new life in the states, from the language barriers to cultural differences to accessible opportunities, are too many to count. There was never direct pressure with this path, but it was apparent my parents did not want me to have to struggle in the ways they did. I internalized that and never dreamed of pursuing a career in the same line of work that they did. I wanted what they wanted. And what they desired for their little girl was stability, something that they believed would offer a "better" life for me.
Fast forward to 2021, here I am kind-of/sort-of taking over the parents' biz. But in my own unique way. After graduating from Johns Hopkins for undergrad and my masters, I moved back home to Hawai'i not really knowing what I wanted to do career-wise for my life. I found myself working in social media and marketing for the past 6 years, honing my skills in Instagram, networking and much more. Trust me though, I was still really lost and unsure of what I was meant to do. Building a community back home gave me access to learning a lot more about the creative scene in Hawai'i. My friends and peers are incredible and have influenced me in an insurmountable ways. Watching other create has injected me with inspiration time and time again... and here we are now with the launch of my very own curated vintage jewelry collection.
So what do the parents think of all this now? They love it. Parents grow just as much as the children do through the years. And the lens that they look at life through has adjusted, just as mine have. Life is truly about the trials and errors - how you confront them, how you work through them and how you ultimately overcome them. Uncertainty paired with anxiety that sometimes even results in failure is the most powerful teacher. I can say with full confidence that I love where I am at right now, on my 29th birthday with the launch of this brand and website. Yes, I still have moments of self-doubt and many questions. Yes, I still don't really know exactly how I want to forge my path in life. But what I am certain of is my ability to persevere through the hardships, my prioritization of people (especially the ones I love) and my steadfast devotion of being the kind of person that can add a lil bit of sparkle to people's lives (pun kinda sorta intended).
I hope that with these pieces at JOOHWA, whether you get one or many or even just pass through this website, you feel a spark of joy inside of you. I hope that the glimmer and shimmer of the images found on this site or that you come across on Instagram make you smile in some sort of way. I hope that there is a story with the pieces that you receive and wear that you can pass down to your children or your children's children or to any of your loved ones that will emanate love.
Thank each and every one of you for your support. I can't say thank you enough.
Sincerely,
Sierra J.
@sierraera