The Contour of Luxury Spring/Summer 2020 Issue | Page 122
GET PERSONAL WITH KOKET’S
EMPOWERING LEADER
Founder & CEO of Luxury Decor Brand KOKET, Janet Morais, Is a
Creative Mastermind and Dynamic Female Force in the Interior Design
Industry - Hear What She Has to Say About Her Story, What Inspires
Her, Her Current Thoughts on Business and Beyond
October 2019 - Starting a company and building it up from scratch is no easy task. And if you
decide
to start a you
luxury
an already difficult
What
inspired
to furniture
create a company,
luxury furniture
brand? venture becomes a serious
challenge. A venture Janet Morais, founder and CEO of the luxury decor brand KOKET, decid-
ed to take
full force.
Today,
her brand
adored around
the world
and Janet
has had a
I began
my on
career
in the
design
world KOKET
as an is interior
designer
and have
always
grown to
an empowering
dynamic Working
female force
the interior I design
passion
for be beautiful
home leader
decor and
products.
as a in designer
found industry.
I was con-
Read on
to hear what
she had decor
to say when
her
team
decided
to ask
her So
some
stantly
challenged
in findng
pieces
that
truly
spoke
to me.
in questions
2010 as I sat in
a New
City lounge
and a and
chair
sketch
about,
and
I instantly wanted to bring
about York
her story,
inspirations,
views
on the came
industry
she so
loves.
it to life. This moment and desire to possess that chair and create more pieces with
the Who
same
empowerment
began my journey.
is Janet
Morais?
I am the founder and CEO of the luxury decor brand KOKET, along with a luxury lifestyle
magazine
called your
Love Happens
the brand
agency DeMorais
International. I am a proud
What
has been
greatest and
source
of inspiration
for KOKET?
mother of two beautiful boys, wife to an amazing man and daughter to the most wonderful
Exotic
materials and jewelry.
parents a girl could ever ask for. And I am a lover of all things unique and inspiring.
What you
is your
and
KOKET’s
mission?
Would
say
that
you and
KOKET have a design style? If so, how would you
It is my personal
mission to share my joie de vivre and coquettish frill while empowering
describe
it?
others to style
follow is my
lead and
take
risks to lavish
create and
a sense
of individual
for also
themselves,
KOKET’s
daring,
high
impact,
slightly
risque, style
while
classically
their
home,
and
their
lifestyle.
The
mission
of
KOKET
is
to
inspire
love
and
empower
through of
sophisticated and elegant. The brand’s style is definitely a pretty close reflection
my statement
personal pieces
style. and unique design-driven experiences and content.
Can you
please
provide is us
with
a description
of your
career? and brands?
What
do you
believe
the
biggest
challenge
for professional
today’s designers
After studying foreign languages and literature, and international relations, I began my
professional
as a The
personal
stylist is
(I have
always
fashion!).
I couldn’t
Staying
front career
of mind.
industry
flooded
and loved
having
your But
voice
heard stay
is defi-
put and
still challenge.
was interested in international relations, so I headed to my home country of
nitely
a big
Portugal and took a job as the Marketing Director for the U.S. Pavilion at the 1998 Lisbon
World Exposition.
What advice would you offer to those who are considering a career in design?
Start with an internship - this is a perfect way to learn about the career first hand.
KOKET offers a summer internship program for exactly this reason, supporting
young minds interested in the design field is one of my passions.
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