PRONOUNCED “WHUN-E-WHUN”
IN THE HILLS OF CÁRTAMA, SPAIN, WE HAD ONE OF THOSE SPECIAL MOMENTS TOGETHER. HAVING JUST SAID "I DO" A WEEK EARLIER BACK HOME IN GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN, WE FOUND OURSELVES IN A STATE OF PEACEFUL BLISS WITHOUT ANY DISTRACTIONS OF LIFE.
LIKE MANY NEWLY-WED COUPLES ON THEIR HONEYMOON, WE DISCUSSED ONE OF THE BIGGER LIFE QUESTIONS A COUPLE COULD FACE TOGETHER: WHAT DO WE ENVISION THE NEXT 70+ YEARS OF OUR LIFE TOGETHER? RULING OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF WINNING THE LOTTERY, WE FELT THAT THE BEST WAY TO LIVE WOULD BE BY DECIDING THE TYPE OF WORK WE WOULD POUR OUR HEARTS INTO, THE PEOPLE WE GET TO WORK WITH, PLUS THE WHERE, WHEN, AND ABOVE ALL: WHY.
COMBINING OUR EXPERIENCES FROM THE FASHION INDUSTRY AS A FOOTWEAR DESIGNER AND A LUXURY RETAIL BUYER, IN ADDITION TO OUR DEGREES IN COMMUNICATIONS, PUBLIC RELATIONS, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, AND SPANISH, WE BELIEVED WE COULD PROVIDE A UNIQUE AND MEANINGFUL PERSPECTIVE IN EVERYTHING WE DO.
BRAINSTORMING WHAT OUR IMAGINARY BRAND NAME COULD BE, THE NUMBER "11" BUBBLED UP TO THE TOP. WHEN WE FIRST STARTED DATING, WE DISCOVERED THAT BOTH OF “OUR NUMBERS” HAPPENED TO BE ELEVEN. FEELING DRAWN TO ITS SIGNIFICANCE AND VERSATILITY IN REPRESENTING BOTH US AS INDIVIDUALS AND NOW AS A DUO, WE STARTED SPLASHING AROUND SOME VARIATIONS. "ONE-ONE" AND "ONE-AND-ONE" KEPT CIRCLING BUT DIDN’T QUITE SPEAK TO US. THEN KENDRA MENTIONED "ONE-Y-ONE” (PRONOUNCED “WHUN-E-WHUN” AND WE BOTH IMMEDIATELY FELT ITS WARMTH AND ACCURACY IN REPRESENTING "US" AND THE SPANGLISH CONVERGENCE OF OUR BACKGROUNDS.
WANTING TO BE SURE EVERYTHING WE DO HAS MEANING AND PURPOSE, WE FELT INSPIRED BY STAINED GLASS AND WHAT IT SYMBOLIZED. IT REPRESENTS SOMETHING SACRED, IT’S MADE UP OF IRREGULAR PIECES THAT COME TOGETHER TO MAKE A BEAUTIFUL MOTIF THAT TELLS A STORY, AND WITH A LITTLE LIGHT SHINING THROUGH, CAN INSPIRE OTHERS WHEREVER THEY’RE AT IN THEIR OWN PERSONAL JOURNEY.
THE WORLD DOESN’T NEED ANOTHER INDEPENDENT CREATIVE BUSINESS TO MAKE THINGS PRETTY, BUT JUST MAYBE IT COULD USE ONE THAT GOES BELOW THE SURFACE AND WORKS FROM THE INSIDE-OUT FROM START-TO-FINISH.
