Hats off to the maker who creates the cutest hand-burned hats in Texas! We can't wait to introduce you to Kayla from Krew Designs. Maybe you've come across her wildflower-inspired hats on TikTok or Instagram? Perhaps you've seen her "Til Death" hat perched on the head of a blushing bride? We can't wait to share the story of these very special hats with you.
Hi Kayla! Thanks for sharing your story with us today! Can you please tell us a little bit about yourself?
I live in Plano currently, but I am originally from the east coast. My dog's name is Sugar, and she is a rescue pup. She's regularly featured on my Instagram and TikTok. I love finding a good patio with cold drinks and live music with my girlfriends - you'll usually find one (or all of us!) in a Krew Designs hat.
We love live music and supportive girlfriends! The past couple of years has been tough. Can you share something good that has come out of this time?
I lost my job during October 2020 - right in the heart of the pandemic. I had just moved to my own apartment and had a lot of creative energy I needed to find an outlet for. I started with ornaments, paintings, and calligraphy, but within a year, I transitioned to hats fully.
Now that's making lemonade out of lemons! What's the best advice you've ever received?
Just keep going - you're either green and growin' or brown and rottin'
What a great quote and an incredible life lesson! Tell us about your business— what do you make, and how long have you been in business?
My business is called Krew Designs. The name is a mix of my first, middle and last name. I've been in business since July 2019. I couldn't figure out exactly what my niche was at first, but by August 2021, I had it pretty much paired down to hand-burned hats.
It's an exceptional niche! Why did you get involved with MMC?
I was really drawn to the community aspect of Mosaic. It's nice to see other Dallas-based artists showing their work in the same place. I love it!
We're so glad you are a part of this community! What are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of being able to create stuff that people react so well to. I've been out several times, and people will see one of my hats and go, "OMG did you buy that from that girl on Instagram/Tik Tok?!" and I go, "I'M THAT GIRL!" We get to chatting, and then they 9/10 buy a hat. That's such a fun feeling.
It's so cool to connect with customers that way! How has your work evolved?
I started out with paintings, ornaments, and calligraphy items. Before I lost my job, a friend of mine gave me a wood burner and asked me to figure out how to use it to do some calligraphy for her wedding. It was slow going, but when I lost my job, I had nothing but time to learn a new skill. So I did! I started making wood burnings, then saw a hat on my wall and thought to myself, "I wonder if I could burn that," and it turns out you can. Thus, the Krew Hats were born.
What a great origin story! What is the most memorable response you've had to your work?
I've had people wear my hats in their weddings which is such a great feeling. It's so neat to see your work be a part of someone's pictures and memories forever.
That is so special! If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go and why?
Probably Paris. I've always wanted to go there since I was a kid. It seems magical.
We hope you make it to Paris someday soon! Thanks so much for sharing the story of Krew Designs with us today. We are so glad to have you as a part of the Mosaic Makers community.
Want to learn more about our makers or shop Krew Designs? Check out these additional resources:
- Visit our shop in the Bishop Arts District
- Shop Krew Designs online
- Meet more of our Mosaic Makers on the Blog