Meet Kari Bradberry | Current Footwear Designer, Former Designer of many other entities.

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

Hi Kari, how do you think about risk?
I’m so grateful that my parents modeled risk taking to me, from the earliest age. I was born in ESwatini, to American parents that had given up their lives in Southern Orange County to lead a life of service and care. I had moved to the US when I was 7. So when, in my 30’s, an opportunity came to work in the Middle East, I jumped at the chance because I knew I could do it, as it has been modeled for me before. Moving to Qatar was the biggest risk I have taken and it was a life changing experience. I was able to work and travel with the Royal Family of Qatar. I was handed projects that I was super under qualified for, and surprised even myself when they were finished. I wash pushed beyond what I thought I was capable of and I’m so grateful I was able to get to know an amazing area and culture of our world that, as an American, often gets stigmatized poorly after 9/11.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Currently I am plugged into a corporation as a footwear designer for women’s boots and sandals for the last 3 years. I haven’t always been a footwear designer though. My career has taken many twists and turns but the central theme has been design, the items in which I’m designing have changed. I started out designing in the surf industry after college. My first job was a graphic, print and sportswear designer for Billabong women’s. I left prints and graphics for wardrobe styling in films and music videos. Then I moved into apparel design at BB Dakota where the owner could tell I was more interested in her new footwear line she was starting. She took a chance on me and ended up hiring me to work on her footwear and accessory line where I got my start in Footwear. I then moved on to the fast fashion industry in the same position and it was there that a friend submitted my resume to this company in Doha Qatar, without me knowing about it. I received an invitation to a skype interview and I just did it to appease her. I was handed the job that week and I thought to myself, when will this opportunity ever come up again? I should take it and if it is terrible, I can always quit and come back. Four weeks later I had sold my car and put my belongings in storage and moved to Doha to work as a design manager for interior design projects as well as events and branding projects. I was able to design a Moroccan Restaurant, and luxury apartment complexes as well as weddings and engagement parties for over 1,500 women. It was wild! I signed up for a year and it extended into almost two years. I eventually came back to the states when my projects wrapped up. I accepted another interior design position managing a creative team for Summit Powder Mountain development in Eden Utah. I then traded the mountains for the city and moved to NYC as a freelancer for Teva, so I could work anywhere. Once my projects for them wrapped up I took a full time footwear position in NYC for a licensing company. I was quite miserable at this job and realized just how much of the West Coast is in me, in which I needed to return to. My parents were quite happy about that. This takes me to where I am today, living back in LA and working full time for a footwear company with no plans to leave, for once! (quite a long journey)

I am proud that I didn’t stay in jobs that were less than ideal just because I felt like I had to for optics. I’m glad I moved around as much as I did for the opportunities I got to experience. It really helps having a range of experiences, for perspective on life or situations. Im also glad that I didn’t always take jobs for more money, the life experience was more important to me. I think having a range of jobs that are corporate experiences as well as opportunities to try my own projects has helped me as well get out creative juices that sometimes don’t get out with corporations. Over quarantine I took up ice and natural dying as a hobby and created a small line for fun, and sold it at pop up shops on the weekends. It helps to get my hands dirty and stained rather than always just typing on the computer.

Career wise, I’m probably most proud of the Moroccan Restaurant I designed. I had no idea what I was doing and I had many challenges starting out on the project but I plugged away, used google a lot, got advice and council from wise people and was able to finish it and it won three awards.

I want people to know that changing their circumstances isn’t as hard as one may think. I have known friends stuck in soulless jobs because they are scared to leave. It takes flexibility and adaptability. You have to put yourself out there, work hard, don’t let money be the only motivating factor and be kind. I also believe in asking people their opinions on things and getting their feedback is so important. Let critique push you to get better, not stunt you or your ego.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would hope they can time their visit when a Back Door Coffee Club day is happening. Some friends open up their warehouse space Saturday mornings in the arts district, to friends and provide free coffee and use it as a time to meet friends and build community. We would eat tacos at Guisados in Echo Park for Lunch, then hike Elysian Park. We’d have dinner at Manuela’s in the Arts District after checking out art at Hauser & Wirth. A sober night cap at the new Tea at Shiloh would be next where they have live music playing atop cloud pillows. Another morning would be spent eating at Trails Cafe before a hike up Griffith. If we wanted to shop we would hit up Atwater and visit Lucky Pig Vintage or the newish Dreams store. Grab a wrap sandwich and olive oil cake at Proof for lunch then have a picnic at the Meadow in Silverlake. Dinner at Salazars would be next and then we’d catch a live show next door at Zebulon. I’d host a game night on my deck as well as a beach trip to El Matador in Malibu.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I think as Americans we are so individualistic minded, when in reality, we are so much more connected to each other than we want to admit. So…there are so many people who have impacted me in so many ways on a daily basis. I think my parents are my number one supporters though. They have always given me freedom in pursuing my endeavors and supported me when I’ve told them that I’m moving to the Middle East as a single white girl, or Portland or Utah or NYC (I’ve moved way too much). My mom spoke into my life in High School when I was choosing a college and figuring out which major to pick. She said to choose a major in something that I find yourself doing in my free time. She said I should be a designer because I was always re-desiging my room with arial drawings and different themes that my dad would help produce. Or sewing handbags, or taking photos and developing them in my darkroom. So I did and I’ve kept designing ever since!

Website: www.KariBradberryDesign.com ( I need to renew it, I will work on updating it and renewing this week)

Instagram: @Saint_Swoon (dying projects) @Shouldershimmy (personal)

Image Credits
Girl in ice dye dress- Mary Myers From Novella Royale