We were lucky to catch up with Kristin Fehrman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Kristin, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My grandparents are the most resilient people I have ever met. They grew up in Traverse City, Michigan during the Great Depression and lived near each other on their family farms, attending a one room school house together. Determined to work hard and preserve their property for future generations, my aunt still lives on the house my grandma was born in today!
My grandpa survived World War II and my grandma endured tuberculosis during this time, living in a sanatorium for three years. Writing to one another as childhood friends while they were both away in terrifying situations, they stayed positive and were able to find the best in their circumstances through their faith and connections with family. After they returned home, they began dating, got married, and built the home my mother was raised in back in 1949. I grew up in the house next door with my mom- another resilient woman- and am so fortunate to have the memories and upbringing that I did. It wouldn’t have been possible if it weren’t for them!
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I’ve always been a writer and a creative. As an only child, my earliest memories are enjoying days outside, dreaming up stories, and bringing them to life through my drawings and writing.
I began designing tote bags and accessories during the pandemic in 2020, painting abstract designs and naming them after friends near and far. I’ve always been multifaceted- no one has ever been able to put me in a box- and gathered photos I took as well as inspiration from the various cities I’ve lived across the United States. My background in San Francisco tech and New York City fashion brands merged together as I created my own website, shot all my photography, and styled the pieces in my collection.
As a city dweller on-the-go, it’s important for me to create products people can use. I’ve been car-free since 2014, so it’s crucial to incorporate functionality with style. I’m passionate about the environment, so stylish tote bags are a perfect way to “say no” to plastic while showcasing my artwork and photography in a unique way.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Authenticity is one of the pillars of my career and my work today. I’ve said no to a lot of opportunities that didn’t feel right for me, and I’ve definitely missed out on making money because it didn’t feel authentic to my brand or mission. Staying true to yourself is so important to me.
Quality over quantity. A dear friend from San Francisco was an early community manager back in 2005, and his vision of obtaining 100 passionate users vs 1,000 lukewarm ones is exactly how I create my own lifestyle and community today. Passion and connection is what sticks in the long run!
Learning to be scrappy and a “Jane of All Trades” has been a big part of my journey as well. From working in startups to creating a brand on my own, I’m always willing to learn new things and do it myself. I’ve met a lot of inspirational people along the way, and they’ve helped advise me when I had had questions or needed to problem-solve.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
I would love to collaborate with retailers or small businesses to create beautiful tote bags and accessories for their brand. Whether they’re looking for new designs or would like me to create something custom, I am always interested in connecting!
My dream is also to create my items out of recycled fabric.
I can be reached at kristinfehrman@gmail.com
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @walkingdetroit
- Other: http://walkingdetroit.blog
Image Credits
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