In 1998 Nina Braun founded the first and still the only, female owned and operated company in the German skateboarding scene. The idea was to create a lobby for the women in the sport, who at the time remained completely unrepresented, and naturally, to produce the proper equipment. The Sumo Clothing Project took of from day one and could be found in skateshops throughout Germany, as well as in few places in Switzerland, Austria, U.K. and Italy.
By the end of 2004 she quit because she wanted to work more freely and creatively again, mainly as an artist. She continued to work under the name Sumo, but that doesn’t necessarily have to be in textiles. But still can be – like for example the knitted sneakers. Puschen for the cosy generation. (Puschen is the German word for slippers). Or the tapestry, the appliquéd wool-posters and the Molly puppets. She loves to mix supposedly outmoded handcraft techniques with contemporary matters. Furthermore her spectrum of work includes skills like painting acrylics, animation, welding, and other (urban) disciplines.
Nina Braun lives and works in Hamburg, Germany.
