
Before you read this story, I should be honest about one thing: I used to think it was thoroughly unnecessary to find work you loved, work you were passionate about. I thought, whatever you’re doing, do that thing with as much zeal and care as you possess, and gradually you will fit that exact place in the universe that has made space for you to fill. Instead, I now believe in miracles because I don’t spend eight hours a day washing dishes in the back of a cold kitchen anymore. And I believe in heroes, because I’ve met some. People who don’t settle, who champion what they believe, and understand that the world needs you to discover what you care about. It isn’t selfish, and it isn’t a waste of time. I should warn you that it’s also rarely glamorous, but it does make you come alive. If you’ve yet to find that thing, the one that makes your mind and heart click, you should meet Kate.
If you look closely, you might catch traces of philosopher, traveler, designer, or technophile. But then again, you might be too distracted by what she’s wearing. Her blousy black uniform is fraying at the edges, like laugh lines peeking through when the skin relaxes. She sports an uncommonly beautiful mashing of Bohemian abandon and NYC street chic. That is, it couldn’t have matched her more completely if she had made it herself. But in fact, she did.
Kate de Para lives to learn. As a textile designer, she spends her days exploring the spectrum of technology, high and low, and experimenting with everything under the sun. She marries beauty to comfort, philosophy to fashion, and teaches with her life that passion can prosper a dream – even if you don’t yet know what it looks like yet.