Meet Sam and Chalei

Both of us grew up in diverse homes.

Chalei was born and raised in Las Vegas, NV, with a mixed heritage of Filipino, Chinese, and European. Sam grew up on the east coast of Australia, with a background of Maori, Fijian, British, and Welsh.

As kids, it was easy for us to fall into a place of an identity crisis, not knowing where we fit in. Chalei was constantly teased for being Filipino but not speaking the language. When Sam visited New Zealand, he didn’t feel accepted. We wanted to change this feeling of not belonging.

“You either create your own culture, or you become subject to the one around you.”

After we took the time to learn about our ancestry, values, and who we are, we realized the huge impact it has on our identity. And we know this is the same for all of us.

We hope our message can inspire people not to accept the stereotypes they are “defined” as but rather create an identity based on their divine worth and truths.

"You will never be able to create a successful business based on a niche culture..."

This belief has shaped our values as an entrepreneur. As a cultural artist and a Polynesian-inspired brand, there are many hardships. Not many people know about the meanings and history of Polynesian art. It’s a constant learning experience of how we can introduce this subject in a simple yet powerful way.

We have often been told that we will never be able to create a successful company based on a niche culture. But to us, success is helping one person at a time to create a more meaningful and positive outlook on themselves and others.