From journalism to jewelry: How a J-School grad turned her passion for storytelling into an award-winning accessories brand
Stuck at home, uninspired during the pandemic, Clare Ngai-Howard, BJ’13, reignited her creativity through jewelry design, launching BonBonWhims – a bold, whimsical company built off of childhood nostalgia and Y2K aesthetics.
Those turn of the century aesthetics are a reflection of Ngai-Howard’s childhood: rainbow colors, rhinestones and over-the-top designs. Growing up in Hong Kong, she fell in love with the fun, cute and kitschy jewelry of her youth.
“It’s a part of my DNA,” Ngai-Howard said. “It’s authentic to who I am and it’s part of the story of BonBonWhims.” She believes that telling her story really resonates with people on a deeper level and makes her company stand out to consumers.
Born out of a desire to contribute to causes that aligned with her identity and experiences, this founder and CEO had no idea her pandemic-born passion project would quickly grow into an award-winning accessories brand.
BonBonWhims is worn by major celebrities and has been featured in top publications for its Y2K-inspired designs. Over the last few years, Ngai-Howard’s company has landed licensing deals with Netflix and partnerships with worldwide beauty brands.
Jewelry has always been one of her passions, but “It is the storytelling part that sets my brand apart from other jewelry brands,” Ngai-Howard said.
After majoring in magazine journalism at the Missouri School of Journalism, Ngai-Howard built up a diverse career in media and brand work. In 2013, she headed to New York right out of school, starting as a PR agency intern, and later as an editorial intern at Complex Media.
Ngai-Howard initially followed what was then a traditional career path – interning for a magazine in the city. However, after completing internships, she realized she also was interested in visual representation. A job in content creation allowed her to merge her writing and photography skills into one role and led to expanded work in social media.
More major brands followed with Ngai-Howard doing social media content creation and community management at an agency with clients including CoverGirl and P&G. Then, Ngai-Howard started working as the content creation manager at Elite Worldwide, a modeling agency.
At a time when ‘influencer’ was still a relatively new concept in the advertising world, she carved out a space for herself by creating editorial pieces and content for models. She transitioned to the role of talent agent and created the agency’s first digital talent division. The agency was only representing models, not influencers, so she “took it as an opportunity to cultivate a new revenue stream for the company.”
After six years in the role, and one global pandemic later, Ngai-Howard’s diverse skills led to the creation of BonBonWhims.
Ngai-Howard truly does it all – from product design, website development, and social media management to customer service, marketing and brand collaborations. She cultivated this “can-do spirit” during her time at the Missouri School of Journalism.
“I feel like what sets Mizzou apart was really the practical part, the Missouri Method,” Ngai-Howard said.
The philosophy emphasizes hands-on, real-world experience for students in the J-School curriculum, and it’s where Ngai-Howard cites the foundations of her career.
But it wasn’t without uncertainty. Ngai-Howard moved halfway around the world to attend Mizzou.
“That was really scary, you know?” Ngai-Howard said. “It was a culture shock, but I have to say I felt very welcomed and embraced at Mizzou, especially the J-School.”
Early on as a student, Ngai-Howard joined the student news publication, The Maneater. Then she wrote for Vox, the cross-platform city magazine where Missouri School of Journalism students report on regional arts, culture and lifestyle.
“I think the hands-on approach that I learned there and really putting in the groundwork instilled that work ethic in me,” Ngai-Howard said.
Creating a company during a global pandemic is a feat, and Ngai-Howard attributes her grit and resilience in that environment to her time at the J-School.
Ngai-Howard’s most recent milestones include partnerships with Netflix, Pinterest, and Searchlight, as well as collaborations with beauty brands like Laneige and Huda Beauty. She’s even had her celebrity “moment” when Taylor Swift was spotted wearing one of her BonBonWhims necklaces.
Fans were quick to note in the comments that Swift was supporting a brand owned and established by an Asian woman.
“That makes me feel like I am doing something additional, extra than just selling fun jewelry,” Ngai-Howard said.
Some of the most meaningful progress to Ngai-Howard is hearing from young Asian women who feel inspired and empowered by her journey to invent something themselves.
For current J-School students entering this competitive industry, she has this message: “Be bold and try to reach out to people that you know in the industry that you’re trying to go into–but be strategic.”
For job interviews, Ngai-Howard said, “Do your homework. Show that you really know what you’re talking about. Be very specific.”
For those who are unsure about the ‘right’ path, Ngai-Howard encourages students to try different jobs and discover what they are passionate about.
“ All the different skills that you learn at the J-School, especially in today’s world, translates in so many different ways.” Ngai-Howard said.
Storytelling is at the core of Ngai-Howard’s diverse career and entrepreneurial success.
“ I think that a lot about what I learned at the J-School was really about storytelling, and I think that that’s such a critical skill that is applicable no matter what you do in different fields,” Ngai-Howard said.
Ngai-Howard encourages Missouri School of Journalism students reading this to connect with her on LinkedIn, with one piece of advice: “Pick my brain, but be specific.”
Updated: March 13, 2026