Colorful checkered bags, bright colored tops, soft plushies, and embroidered hats line the shelves. At Lanicrochets, dreams and wishes become a reality in the form of eye-catching and handmade crocheted goods. The brains behind the whole operation, Kaylani Addison, a business honors freshman, manages this full-time business on top of being a student.
“My business is focused around crochet apparel and accessories, and I (also) do like custom orders,” Addison said. “(It’s) just a different way to look at fashion.”
Addison started crocheting at 10-years-old but didn’t seriously consider turning her passion into a business until moving to campus.
“I just think Austin is the perfect place to do something like a startup. The market here is perfect for something that is quirky and different,” Addison said. “I decided to capitalize; maybe I should turn this into a full-fledged business.”
Addison had no set goals or concrete plans for the business’s future when she first started. Instead, she was just going with the flow, one step at a time.
“It was kind of difficult to start because I don’t know, what is a business? What am I? What am I going to do? And how do I start,” Addison said. “I didn’t really have anything, just a couple of hats I wanted to sell at the market.”
Instead of having predetermined items to produce at certain times, Addison relied on finding inspiration from her surroundings or personal interest to invent new product ideas.
“Everything I make is kind of just on a whim. If I see something I like on Pinterest, I’ll try to replicate it or do my own version of it,” Addison said.
Though Addison first with only her skills and a couple of hats, she now has a whole booth filled with a variety of products, her own logo, and a growing Instagram page where she does commission work. When asked about thoughts of expanding the business outside of college, she explains that it’s certainly a possibility she has in mind. She is open to the idea of evolving in the future.
“You never know how it’s gonna go. I thought it was just gonna be a small thing when I first started to do it,” Addison said. “I would love to do it full time, but I am just exploring my options at this point. There is no right or wrong way to do it, just have fun.”
Featured Image By Reo Lee