10 Minutes with Keelia Paulsen of Khenri Shoe Design Fame

We had time to visit with (and dig through the closet of) Keelia Paulsen, up-and-coming shoe designer:

Give us a backgrounder. Our guess is you grew up on a farm and decorated stuff to get out of doing the real work like feeding the cattle. Your brothers probably hated you, right?

I did not grow up on a farm. I started playing soccer and basketball when I was about 7-8 years old and continued until a junior in college. Took minimal art classes in high school and have a degree in graphic design from Grand View College. I worked at Sticks (not the bar) for a period of time and am now a graphic designer by day.

They say, for an artist, all the world is a canvas ... but shoes? How the heck did you get into this biz? Are you some kind of artist with a foot fetish?

I started pretty much like everyone else, with a sharpie and a pair of Chucks. It was when my parents forced to wear some lame payless BOGO crap to my sweetheart dance that I got the idea to zazz it up, and I've been at it ever since. It pissed my mom off, but look at me now - I'm in the DSMEgotist!

So, you probably have a closet full of shoes. What are your faves?

Aside from the "borrowed" pair of bowling shoes (see below), my ultimate favorite pair is my FIGHT CLUB heels, which are appropriately named The Napalm. Never mess with a girl wearing these!! Second to that would be The Spectator.

What do shoes say about a person? What if that person just happens to be wearing a "borrowed" pair of bowling shoes?

A lot! I think they can say if you're laid back or if you care about details, especially in men. Just remember for interviews/blind dates you must always put your best foot forward....that means wear some really good shoes!!! ....How'd you know I had a "borrowed" pair of bowling shoes?

Ever considered expansion with other accessories to match the shoes? Bags? Purses? Body piercings?

I'm on it! I have t-shirts available (sizes medium through XL) and have one-of-a-kind clutches/handbags as well. One, The Belvedere, sold in the course of a couple of days. It was my favorite piece; a bittersweet departure. Now....body piercings........this is a classy business I'm trying to run. But tattoos... our Khenri specialists are working on.

What's the craziest or most interesting request you've had so far?

Zombie-themed. This was a little bit difficult for me - I'm not really a zombie kind of gal. But oozing eye balls and a zombie head did turn out to be pretty rad.

Will we be seeing anyone famous wearing your shoes in the future?

Someone from the church of scientology just placed an order, in Tom Cruise's size, oddly enough.

Sex and the City or Dancing with the Stars?

CSI

Keelia does not yet have a Des Moines Egotist profile, but you can learn more about her work at www.khenri.com