Out of the Shell

Photos by Kenji Croman

Catch Kathy Croman on any given day, and you’ll likely notice her slim wrists clad with gold bangles, complete with matching drop earrings on her ears — both adorned with beau- tiful baroque pearls. The maker of the eye-catching wares? Herself. Croman is the founder of Kaia Sage jewelry, which she created serendipitously during the lock- down. “Making jewelry is so meditative for me, and I needed something to channel my anxiety during COVID,” she says. And while crafting her now sought-after pieces may have been the answer to combatting the disquiet that stemmed from the pandemic, it was also how her new calling was born.

In the beginning, she started making jewelry only for herself. However, after more and more people started ordering pieces from her after realizing she was the woman behind the bangles, she began to think bigger. Croman says, “My husband was like, ‘You need to turn this into a legit business. You love doing it and you’re making money at the same time — that is a recipe for success!’ Shortly after, Kaia Sage (named after my daughter) was born.”

Baroque pearls are her gems of choice, each one having its own unique, non-spherical shape, which Croman has long been a fan of. “I love pearls. I think it’s such a classic that will always be in style and looks great on everyone! My pieces are elevated with a modern twist,” she shares.

Croman designs and makes each piece herself by hand. She uses gold-filled metal for everything she makes; nothing is gold plated. And since pieces are gold filled, her pieces won’t tarnish (read: water and sweat resistant). Hawai‘i shoppers were quick to notice her pieces in early spring when Kaia Sage held its first pop-up at Bloomingdale’s at Ala Moana Center. The pieces sold out within a few hours. A sec- ond pop-up at Bloomingdale’s during the summer also fared similarly. Momentum is on Croman’s side, and she hopes to expand into resort boutiques around the world in the future.

“My pieces are for every age, every woman. It’s a cult classic.” kaiasage.com