Creative hotspot

No “fast fashion”: fashion according to your own taste

Karin Kruse has turned her hobby into a profession. At Stoff&Chic, everything revolves around handmade items.

(Bild: Stoff&Chic)

Instead of disposable fashion, Karin Kruse focuses on handmade and do-it-yourself fashion in her store "Stoff&Chic". Here you will find everything you need for sewing, crocheting, embroidery and knotting. Beginners can take their first steps in workshops.

"Sewing, crocheting, embroidering and knotting are all about the joy of creating, it's almost a meditative activity," explains Karin Kruse in an interview with the "Krone". It all started with the Pop-Up Store Competition 2022 organized by Klagenfurt and the Carinthian Business Development Fund. "I was one of the winners - so after 20 years in a healthcare profession, I was able to turn my hobby into a career," explains the owner of the "Stoff&Chic" store in Klagenfurt.

"Handicraft day" with a swap meet
Now she is organizing her own "Handicraft Day" on 14 June from 10:00 to 18:00 in the store on Ankershofenstraße. "Together with regional partners, we want to get people interested in handicrafts. We are celebrating sewing, crocheting and knitting," says Karin Kruse. In addition to mini-workshops, there will be a swap meet where old, handmade pieces and "cupboard corpses" can be donated and find a new owner. Leftover items will be donated to charitable organizations such as SOS Children's Villages.

How do I want to live, what values do I base my actions on, what makes me happy?

Karin Kruse, Stoff&Chic

Do-it-yourself workshops
Kruse passes on her enthusiasm for handicrafts in workshops. "These are mainly beginners' courses with a focus on sewing," she tells us. "The offer appeals to all generations, from young people to expectant mothers, middle-aged women to enthusiastic seamstresses with life experience, everyone takes part in the workshops." They learn how to sew zipper bags, simple shoulder bags, but also how to upcycle their own favorite pieces with embroidery.

The workshops are well attended.

(Bild: Stoff&Chic)

Karin Kruse has turned her hobby into a profession.

(Bild: Stoff&Chic)

Here you can find everything you need for DIY.

(Bild: Stoff&Chic)

Sewing machines and other utensils are also sold.

(Bild: Stoff&Chic)

The antithesis of "fast fashion"
Handicrafts are also about creating fashion according to your own taste and for your own body. "It's a way to avoid fast fashion, because what you sew yourself, you wear for longer," emphasizes Kruse. "Handicrafts also have real health benefits, as they prevent dementia and help to reduce stress." It is important to be able to incorporate your own ideas into the work.

New life for old pieces
In some of her workshops, the focus is on old clothing. "Upcycling is about being able to use existing clothing for as long as possible," explains the needlework expert. "But it's not just about filling holes, it's about embellishing the piece and giving it a new look."

Sewing machines are an important tool for all this needlework - you can buy them at Stoff&Chic or bring them in for repair. Partners are the Styrian sewing professionals Luchscheider. Kruse also attaches great importance to cooperating with regional suppliers wherever possible. The big goal now is to become a creative hotspot in Carinthia.