Meet Perla Stortzum, the Mom turned entrepreneur who is creating the most eclectic and unique hats and handbags for her Online Store, Kali Handcrafted Fashion. “When you buy a piece from Kali Handcrafted Fashion, you’re not only getting a unique piece, you’re taking with you the passion, the culture and the history of our Artisans”. Perla’s designs have been inspired from local artisans she met while on her Mission trips to native communities. As you will read below, Perla’s creative inspirations are reflective of these artisan cultures and her love of Boho fashion.
Q&A
Hi Perla, where are you from? I was born in Mexico and raised between Mexico and United States.
How many kids do you have? 3 wild boys, an almost 3 yr old and 11 month old twins. They are 23 months apart.
What do you love about Peachtree City? I love the community. We have found great friends in Peachtree City.
What’s your favorite restaurant and/or place to shop in Peachtree City and/or surrounding areas? My favorite restaurant it’s La Hacienda, they have the best Margaritas!
Tell us about your career? I have a degree in Business Administration with a minor in Computer Systems Technology but my whole career I’ve been in Sales & Marketing positions.
How did you decide on this Business? I love to travel and learn from different cultures. My passion started when I was 15 years old and I went on my first mission trip to the indigenous communities in Mexico. I was amazed by their culture, history and art. When I was 21, I decided to open a store where I could help these wonderful artisans’ work be known. However, because I was still in the University, I had to sell it. It was hard to be a full time student and running a store away from home.Two years ago I was doing missions in Nicaragua. Being around the artisans and the beautiful people from these communities gave me the desire to open my business again. But this time I was “comfortable” in the corporate world, so I held off. Then, after losing my job and going through a pandemic pregnant with my twins, I finally decided it was time to put my entrepreneurial spirit to work again, and I opened my online store called “Kali Handcrafted Fashion” this summer. At Kali, I design and customize hats and handbags that are handmade by artisans from the indigenous parts in Mexico, Central & South America, using sustainable materials like palm leaf, pineapple peels and cactus. Every design is unique and handcrafted with love for my passion for Boho Eclectic Fashion. My inspiration comes from each of the different cultures I’ve been so lucky to encounter through my mission trips.
What is the best thing about your job? The best part is to working with people rich in culture and history that love what they do. It is a great learning experience for me and it’s pretty awesome too to be able to let my creativity and passion for Boho Eclectic Fashion go and create unique fashion pieces.
Advice for Mom’s or a Mom hack you would like to share? Don’t let fear get in the middle of your dreams. It may be chaotic and extremely hard sometimes, but it is very rewarding and worth it.
Check out all of the fun, creative, Boho Artisan hats and handbags at www.kalihandcraftedfashionstore.com