The beginning of Molly Virginia Made was very organic. Owner and creator, Molly Virginia Campbell, explains, “the intent was never to create a business, it was just to make one small wallet for myself.” However, once Campbell figured out how to dye leather with the process MVM is known for, creating fine leather goods became much too fun to abandon.
Creating comes naturally to Campbell, whose father is an artist and a mother who is both creative and talented, in her own right. From the beginning, her parents encouraged her talent and made sure she had a pencil in hand and access to all the art books she wanted. “One of my favorite baby photos, actually, is of me totally entranced with a book opened to a huge Picasso painting,” Campbell says.
Influenced by the organic lines, colors and shapes of the James River and the rolling, deep purple-blues of the Appalachian Mountains, MVM really is made in Virginia. Additional inspiration often comes from the colors and textures Campbell finds in her daily routine. “I surround myself with lots of plants, beautiful textiles, and unique art – many of which continue to push me down different avenues of design.” With a background in painting, organic lines and naturally occurring shapes have always intrigued her.
In my mind, leather is just a new, barely explored, canvas.
And with handmade work the value of each piece is readily apparent; from the hand stitching to the small mess-ups and odd quirks, each leather product is completely unique. “Especially so in the dyeing process as the pieces, while not perfect, are all one-of-a-kind and will never have the same marbled pattern!” she proudly exclaims.
MVM was created for stylish women (and men!) who have a simple and clean aesthetic but love having that statement piece that really stands out. “It’s for people who don’t want what somebody else already has,” Campbell proudly boasts. While showcasing the organic surface design by itself is very important to her, above all, color is king. Her pieces usually contain a rainbow of hues. Each piece is dyed individually through a process similar to marbling on paper. An array of beautiful colors is dropped into a bath of water, creating unique patterns on the liquid’s surface. Untreated leather is then dropped onto the dyes and, because of its porous nature, immediately absorbs the color. Each piece is then sealed and finished to hold its vibrancy. As a responsible business owner, Campbell donates 15% to 100% from the “This Is Not Normal” pin sales to organizations that depend on much needed public support, such as https://350.org, to help fight against global warming.
You can purchase MVM products @ www.mollyvirginiamade.com
