Hey Makers!
I recently sat down with Abby from the Craft Industry Alliance podcast to talk about my journey, the story behind Klum House, and what empowerment means to me. We also dug into my roots growing up in San Francisco and how those early experiences shaped my path as a maker and a teacher.
I was raised by the thriving subcultures of San Francisco in the 90s, where graffiti, skateboarders, activists, and punks ruled. As a teenager, I was down for the adventure, so I jumped right in and raged right alongside everyone.
I learned early on that making things with my own hands was powerful. From hand-sewing at a young age to co-founding a custom messenger bag company in Philadelphia (called R.E. Load Bags), my path has always been about creating and empowering others to do the same.
"I think a lot of that comes back to DIY punk roots where I really do believe that capitalism at its core is about us giving our power away. As makers, we inevitably disrupt that because we're interacting with the creation process of objects or things that we use in our everyday lives."
At Klum House, our mission is to help you believe in your ability to make things real in the world. Skill-building isn’t just about learning to sew a bag– it's about giving people the skills and confidence to bring their own ideas to life.
"Making things and especially sewing is a series of gathering materials and putting them together to the point where you have this functional, useful end product. You can take those same concepts and really start to believe in yourself, in this ability to put things together and make things real in the world."
I dive deeper into these topics and share more about the story of Klum House in my interview with Abby. It’s a conversation filled with insights, personal stories, and the philosophy that drives our mission here at Klum House.
I hope this conversation inspires you as much as it did me.
XO,
Ellie Lum
Founder, Klum House
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