ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Entrepreneurship in luxury consumer product space: founder of two small businesses with a global reach and advisor to many more in domestic and international locations. In the Fulbright Specialist Program for expertise and contributions in the field and advising universities and non profits.
Katherine Parr Jewelry
Katherine is inspired by the global culture discovered during her travels around the world as a fashion model and student.
An ethical luxury demifine jewelry brand, the jewelry designs have graced the covers and inside magazines, been worn by and owned by royalty and celebrities. They have been sold in boutiques and museums in the United States, Europe, and the Middle East, including The Morgan Library & Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, as well as direct-to-consumer for fifteen years.
The jewelry has been exhibited at Clarence House for HRH King Charles III and owned by HM Queen Rania of Jordan; violinist Joshua Bell and Rafael Nadal, to name a few.
The jewelry, solely designed by Katherine, is handmade by talented artisans with fair trade and eco-friendly practices. Special limited-edition collections have been made by talented at-risk women and men in conflict zones including Afghanistan and Syrians living in Jordan. Another special collection of one-of-a-kind pieces were crafted from a rare South African artifact: pieces of the original fence from Robben Island prison where Nelson Mandela and other freedom fighters were incarcerated before leading the country against the injustice of apartheid.
Parré chocolat
Katherine co-founded Parré Chocolat with her husband Gary W. Parr with the same business model as her jewelry brand. With a mission to bring happiness to the customer and throughout the supply chain we value ethical and transparent trading in every step, we are makers of premium pure dark chocolate that is authentic, natural and distinctive.
Using only fine flavor cacao beans the chocolate is made using artisanal methods developed from experience and the highest quality luxury Italian equipment. The chocolate is pure: the chocolate is made with natural ingredients, limited to high-quality cacao and a bit of pure cane sugar, no preservatives.
Parré Chocolat pays the cacao farmers in Latin America a premium for their product and donates philanthropically to the communities where we operate. The chocolate has been distributed in locations in New York City and Palm Beach, including arts and cultural organizations such as the Museum of Modern Art, The New York City Opera, The US Open, and cooperate dining rooms and restaurants. It is available on Worth Avenue in Palm Beach at Cafe Roma next to Raptis Rare Books and direct to consumer online.
Entrepreneurship education - Fulbright Specialist Award
With a background in the luxury consumer products businesses and small business entrepreneurship, Katherine has taught, developed programs, and mentored young entrepreneurs in various countries - for non-profits and for-profit businesses alike.
She has been awarded a Fulbright Specialist Award from the US. Department of State for her expertise and contributions and has been assigned to a university in the Middle East to advise students, programming, curriculum, and university leadership on the subject.