SHE sells seashells by the seashore. No, really, she does. Or rather, they do.
Identical twins Heather and Karen Hendry have launched a line of jewelry that pays homage to the beach, including the pebbly shores of Deep Cove where the sisters grew up.
Their Karenjess brand features seashells, stones and other found objects cast in sterling silver or bronze.
"We've always been obsessed with the ocean and beachcombing," says Heather, describing herself and her sister as "water babies" inspired by their zodiac sign, Cancer, the crab.
The 30-year-old siblings graduated from Seycove secondary, both love surfing, and have volunteered with the Surfrider Foundation, a non-profit organization that leads trash cleanups at local beaches and mountains.
Karenjess jewelry actually began four years ago as a side project, but the Hendry sisters recently decided to grow their brand. Karen, the "brainchild" behind the operation, designs and handmakes all the pieces in her Vancouver studio. Heather handles the business side of things.
"So we complement each other pretty well in terms of our skills," says Heather, who has moved to Tofino for the summer where she is doing plenty of surfing and helping friends open an arts space that sells Karenjess pieces.
The Hendrys' jewelry line includes necklaces, rings and bangles. Their Washed Up collection incorporates beachcombed objects, collected by themselves and by friends, from the shores of Vancouver, Tofino, Mexico, Hawaii and Australia. And their newly launched Deep Cove collection, sold exclusively at Room6 on Gallant Avenue in North Vancouver, is a reminder of home.
"Karen was able to
accumulate different pieces from the area, like little pieces of bark and stones," says Heather. "So people will be able to take a piece of Deep Cove home with them."
For the last two years, the twins have created keepsake trophy necklaces for female participants in the Rip Curl Pro Tofino surf competition, using cast shells from the beach where the annual tournament takes place.
They first got into fashion during their former modelling days, but never followed fads, Heather says, explaining that their preference for timeless style and simplicity is reflected in their jewelry line.
"It reaches a pretty wide demographic because it's not driven by fleeting trends at all. It's driven by people's love for the ocean."
The sisters-turned-business-partners are accustomed to working side by side. On top of their modelling gigs, they were also both on staff at Grouse Mountain for about 10 years.
"I think we always knew we would end up working together. We've always supported each other with different areas of our work," Heather says.
Karenjess jewelry is sold at Room6 in Deep Cove, House of Alaia in Tofino, and Sitka in Kitsilano and Victora. Prices range from $70 to $150 for sterling silver pieces, and $40 to $90 for bronze. Custom orders are available by request.
Heather and Karen have recently launched a crowd-funding campaign to raise money to develop a new website which will allow them to sell their designs online. To learn more, visit karenjess.com.
