From Adelaide to the Philippines with a portfolio that highlights her expertise in writing, hosting and designing, Kim Jones (@kimcamjones) is a multi-talented creative with a fierce cause. The Brit-born, Adelaide-bred fashion influencer is pursuing her dream of creating a culture and community of strong women who can discover their potential and support themselves. Owing it to her cross-cultural environment, she is one to push boundaries and move things out of her comfort zone: all in the name of personal growth and self-discovery. Kim shares with us her creative process, the obstacles she has endured and how she conquers rejection.

Let’s talk about growing up in Australia: was creativity a significant part of your childhood?

Always. I grew up sketching from a young age and being exposed to musical instruments and my mother designing and making clothes for my sister and I. It was something I took a lot of comfort in and used as an escape when I needed it. As I grew older I started sewing my own clothes and tweaking my existing garments into something else when I wanted to wear something different. It was so rewarding and fulfilling for me.

Do you find it difficult to achieve goals that you set out for yourself?

I think it’s so important to set goals, but mine are open-ended and broad. I know the woman I want to become but the idea of that woman has changed as I’ve matured and learnt from experiences. I think it’s important to set direction but also allow yourself to be malleable with whatever opportunities life throws your way. I think the ability to adapt and respond to change is such a great skill to have, you’ll find that the things you wanted a few years ago may not necessarily be what you want now — and that’s all part of the fun.

Looking back at your past projects, how much have you grown or changed? Tell us about it.

The change I’ve experienced is colossal. I’ve had so many jobs and always felt like I wasn’t quite where I was supposed to be. It’s only now that I feel like I’ve found my momentum and am comfortable in my own skin. When I left Australia for the Philippines my only wish was that I would be pushed entirely out of my comfort zone and I was, in more ways than I expected. But that growth and change allowed me to hone in on what I wanted to spend my days doing and I will be forever grateful for that.

“I know the woman I want to become but the idea of that woman has changed as I’ve matured and learnt from experiences. I think it’s important to set direction but also allow yourself to be malleable with whatever opportunities life throws your way.”

-Kim Cam Jones

What are you currently working on now?

As usual, I can’t divulge a lot as it’s still in its early stages now but I plan to spend some more time abroad and continue my ventures into retail. I have an upcoming trip to Morocco for a speaking engagement with young, creative women that I’m super excited about and a couple of collaborations that I’ve been drooling over for the past few months.

Your creative process.

My mind never really rests. I’m always thinking — I always say how much I love fashion and I love exploring it in different contexts. Fashion is beautiful, but it is also such a powerful tool that holds so many different facets. I draw inspiration from the books I’m reading or even the political and economic podcasts I listen to, the places I travel and the conversations I have.

What about getting out of a creative block?

Again, I think it’s important to adapt, especially in this rapidly changing digital environment we’ve created for ourselves. From a marketing perspective, things that worked just a year ago will now seem outdated and irrelevant, it can be very easy to fall into the trap of monotony in order to create content, especially for someone in my position. Generally, I try to constantly draw inspiration from different areas of life to provide different perspectives and viewpoints. There’s no real method on my part. I really just keep putting out there what I want to see.

What keeps you motivated to complete a project?

One of the most rewarding parts of my job is the collaboration aspect. I never thought I’d get to work with the clients that I have. It’s been so fulfilling to work with a brand say, that has been around for decades and experienced so much as a business and then take their aesthetic and merge it with mine to create something new and exciting.

What is your approach?

A friend recently made me discover that my creative process holds an incredible amount of sentimental value. I try to approach everything with a purpose and with intention, asking “why” and “how” probably a little too often, perhaps because it took me so long to get to a point where I finally knew my direction. I do always try to do things to tell a story and to inspire.