BLOWN AWAY: On September 11,1992, the small Hawaiian island of Kauai trembled under the vicious winds of Hurricane Iniki. As a result of the storm, Kauanui lost both her home and the movie production company she co-owned, and was forced to flee to Los Angeles with her three sons. A loan and a job as a modeling scout put her back on her feet. But when Kauanui attended a fashion show and caught a glimpse of the fate that awaited the models she recruited, she knew something had to change. "I saw the girls backstage--they were so emaciated, they were like skeletons," she says. "I said, 'This is so wrong. I am sending girls out there to get skinny and have eating disorders.'"

A NATURAL GLOW: This stark realization was just what Kauanui needed to start Jet Set Management and promote a whole new type of surfer model. She hit the water in search of girls who loved to surf and had a natural, healthy and beautiful look. The response was favorable--Jet Set models were instantly booked for Abercrombie & Fitch as well as Ralph Lauren. They even became the first models for trendy junior-clothing line Roxy.