Sock Club Staff Spotlight: Hanna King, Graphic Designer

 A true “unicorn,” Hanna was born and raised in Austin. She graduated with honors from St. Edward’s University with a B.A. in Graphic Design. Hanna began her sock stardom in December 2018 as a graphic designer.

What’s your pump-up jam?

"Bohemian Rhapsody."It starts off slow but it has a nice build. I know every single lyric and all the guitar solos. Honestly, I’d love to make custom socks for Queen.

How did you hear about Sock Club?

I heard about Sock Club through my coworker, Emily. We were in graphic design together at St. Edward’s. I applied as one of my first jobs out of college, and then I got the job! It was remarkable.

What has surprised you most about custom socks?

There are so many designs you can create other than polka dots, argyle, or repeating logos. You can put anything you want on a sock. I always thought of socks traditionally with patterns, but custom socks are art for your feet. A graphic designer here is never the same every day. I see so many cool companies that I've never heard of, it's amazing.

How would you define creativity?

Creativity is essentially how people express themselves. I think it comes from a place of empathy. It doesn’t always come out intangible things, but you can always show it.

Why do you love being a designer?

I’ve always wanted to be a designer. I am artsy and creative; that’s just how my brain functions. I get my stress out through art. Having a design position is a perfect fit for me.

What’s the custom sock you are most proud of thus far?

I just completed a sock design mockup for the Environmental Law Conference at Yosemite. It’s special to me because my grandma lives so close to Yosemite, and I’ve been there before. I was a little nervous about making it because the rock formations are complicated, and it’s especially difficult to try to make the mountain look realistic with yarn stitches. I am really proud of the way it turned out. Being a graphic designer for Sock Club has allowed me to make an impact on organizations that are close to me through creativity.

What are three things still left on your bucket list?

1. Skydive, absolutely. I love adventure.
2. Go to Italy and learn how to make cheese. I think it would be cool to learn how to make cheese from an old Italian man.
3. Have kids. I feel like I was born to be a mom.
   

What’s your secret talent that nobody knows about?

I can untangle any piece of jewelry. I call this my “small magic”— it’s my tiny hands.

If you could learn to do anything, what would it be?

I’ve been into art restoration lately. Restoring old art pieces would be fascinating; getting old wax off, repainting the art, and fixing up the cracks. I watch art restoration videos almost every night.

What do you want to be remembered for?

Being kind. My dad always told me growing up to be kind to everyone I meet. My motto is to make someone smile every day, whether it’s the same person or someone different.

You’re a new addition to Sock Club’s color library. What custom color would you be and why?

I would be dark jade, like a jewel jade. It’s soothing, and I try to be that for the people around me. And it’s a color you often see in nature, too.