Meet Karrah Christenson | Clothing Designer and Maker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Karrah Christenson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karrah, what do you attribute your success to?
I love this question because my definition of success is always being challenged! I think at the very heart of this, the most important factor of success for an artist is to create in ways that are truly aligned with who you are most authentically. It’s so easy to compare and fall to pressure to make things that you think everyone will like and that will sell quickly. While there is some merit to that as a business, it’s so important to me that my values and vision aren’t compromised for an end result. Creating things with integrity and that represent the ethos of my brand defines success for me right now. At the end of the day, continuing to create and share my work at any capacity is a success! There’s a line I’m not willing to cross (I’ve learned from experience!), where the fun and joy and divine nature of creating is taken away to achieve someone else’s definition of success. I’m always reminding myself of that. Staying authentic to my vision and my brand values will always keep me successful.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My pieces are meant to be fun and timeless and truly one of a kind. Everything I make comes from using repurposed and vintage materials-each piece is different and I don’t make anything twice! I started out completely self taught. I bought my first machine on a whim with no experience and only the desire to make things that I wanted to wear that I couldn’t find anywhere else. There was a huge learning curve! My first attempts were disastrous but I kept at it until something finally clicked. The feeling of excitement when I complete a piece and get to see the result and think “I made this! With my hands!”, that never goes away for me. One of my favorite parts of this journey has been taking steps to educate myself more and really hone my craft. Last year I enrolled in classes and started back with the basics so that I could really say that I know the craft at the industry level and I’ve learned so much! It’s fun to figure things out on your own and then also be taught by someone who has decades of experience and to combine these things to find what works best for you. Another element of my work that I love is that both of the machines I work on now belonged to my grandmother! She and her mom used to sew together and I never knew that until I started sewing myself. She gifted me the machines and I think it’s really special that I get to carry on this practice and it feels like each garment is touched with the artistry of the matriarchs of my family. Finally, what I want my work to do above all is to make people think about what they’re wearing and consuming. Be intentional in what you decide to invite in to your life and home, and wear things that make you feel good and happy!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Right away I know we’d start our day with a hike through one of my favorite loops in Griffith Park. The best ones will have a pretty demanding incline that leaves you with amazing views and real feeling of accomplishment once you’ve reached the top. Afterward we’d grab a breakfast burrito (specifically the chilaquiles burrito) in Atwater at Tacos Villa Corona followed by a treat from Proof Bakery. Then I’d take them to a place that is so precious to me- Remainders in Pasadena. This creative reuse store is a gold mine of resources for crafters of every kind! I get a lot of my fabric there and it’s just such a fun place to spend an hour or two digging around looking for surprises and you can feel good knowing that you’re repurposing. For dinner we are going to Ototo in Echo Park. I love this place and all of the people there, the best food in the city! The next day, we’re hoping in the car to drive up to my favorite beach in Carpinteria, but only after grabbing whatever’s in season for snacking on at the Santa Monica farmers market. I really like doing extended beach days and it’s always worth it to me to drive up the coast a bit to find a spot that’s quieter and feels like a reprieve from the city. From Carpinteria, we’re driving in to Ojai! One of my top places to take a long weekend. Get a room at the Capri and you can walk to town for dinner at Pinyon. The views in Ojai are truly special and you’ll come back to the city feeling refreshed and like you’ve been kissed by the moon.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My childhood and early years were imbued with art. I was an active artist and ballet dancer all through school but put all of these things on the back burner when I decided to put all of my attention into my academics and study of archaeology. It wasn’t until I was a few years out of my undergrad program that I realized I could identify as an artist and that many people in my life had already seen me as one! My family, Miss Betsie who ran the dance studio I was a member at through my childhood, countless teachers, and my closest friends were always there encouraging me to take the leap. My dad is an amazing potter and my grandmother was also a ceramicist and they’re both a big inspiration for me. I have so many amazing strong women in my life who have pursued art and I see them create and share their work daily and it’s such a gift to have those relationships. I love Twyla Tharp’s book The Creative Habit and Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way- great reads that helped me find my identity as an artist and provided me with the tools to treat my work as a practice and discipline.

Website: kkitss.com

Instagram: @kits.by.karrah