Life & Work with Molly Martin

Today we’d like to introduce you to Molly Martin.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve always loved clothes. As young as I can remember, I was picking out new outfits and putting together looks for my dolls or even my dog. We didn’t watch much TV growing up, but when we did, I would watch Project Runway with a pencil and paper in hand to design for whatever the week’s challenge was. As I got older, I learned to sew and started making my own costumes for Halloween. All this time, I was a part of theatre; At school, at my church, wherever I could find a place to perform.

When I started having to think about college, I couldn’t quite choose between my love of theatre and my love of fashion. Did I want to go to a school known for theatre? Or did I want to pursue a degree in fashion? I seriously considered dropping one or the other but ended up deciding to see if I could study as a costume designer. I spent two years studying theatre design in New York before deciding to move to London where I could better focus on my goals and get a degree in costume design. It was a total leap of faith, moving to a foreign country with no friends, no family and no guarantee I’d get into the program I wanted. Ten years later, I still have no regrets.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road in any artistic endeavour is never smooth. I know I’m not the first to say that as an artist, you put a lot of ourselves on the line. You’re not just putting out work; you are putting out emotion, and memory, and even a tiny bit of your soul. Every setback seems to cut deeper than it needs to and every rejection is like a shank to the heart. My story is no different.

I had teachers in New York criticize my focus in costume. I had interviewers in London say my work would never be good enough to get into a degree course. I had my course leader tell me I would never secure a costume maker’s job if I decided to focus in Leatherwork. Even with a full-time job in London, I could not secure a visa to stay, so I had to start my career over in Los Angeles. Within a year of starting my career in LA, Covid hits. I had to restart my career again, this time in film, where I could secure more work through pandemic restrictions. Now I’m sitting on the sidelines of two major Hollywood strikes, effectively shutting down the film industry.

Nothing about this career choice has been easy. Nothing has been smooth or seamless. And yet, through all the heartache, the rejection, I still love this job. None of these instances have stopped my determination to pursue this career.

My New York teachers never saw how much my focused degree helped me get jobs. Those London interviewers never expected me to graduate with honors from my degree course. My course leader missed out on me getting hired straight out of college as a leatherworker. Leaving London gave me the opportunity to do exciting theatre work in Los Angeles, and moving into the film industry opened a whole other level of costuming for me to discover. Every one of these setbacks has made me stronger and helped me prove myself. It may not feel like it now but I know that when I look at these strikes from the other side, I will have found its purpose in pushing forward my career.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I am a costume designer and stylist. I design, make and style looks for theatre, film, music videos, and commercials. If it needs clothes, Im on it. As a maker, I specialize in leatherwork. I do tooled leather pieces as accents to my work. When a lot of people think of tooled leather, they think of Western Wear. I like to use it as an accent for fantasy, sci-fi and even historical pieces. These are my three focuses as a designer. I love a style called Hybrid Design, which takes elements of historical design and silhouette and puts them into fantasy and sci-fi designs. It also works reverse, allowing elements of fantasy or sci-fi lore to play a part in historical design choices. I love working with period costumes and am always looking for vintage photos and pieces to use as references.

I am a self-proclaimed mega nerd, and I truly become obsessed with every character/person I design for. Each of us is unique in the best way and therefore deserves a design that is perfectly tailored to them. There is no plain jeans and a T-shirt for me. Every outfit you put on is a story. Why did you buy those jeans? What is your connection with that t-shirt? How can I make two simple items represent your world, or at the very least, your world for that day. It’s not about just looking good, heck, sometimes a character isn’t even supposed to look good. It’s about feeling entirely right in that outfit. That is my bread and butter.

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me right now is that studios executives recognize their place in the industry. Earning millions a year and claiming you’re doing poorly because you’re not making Wall Street the big bucks doesn’t gain you sympathy here. Most of us in the industry aren’t in it for the money. We are artists and creatives trying to make a living doing something we love. Our work bought you that second house, that third car, that amazing vacation. You have to know it’s only fair that our work pays for our rent and food.

Contact Info:

• Website: mollymartindesign.com
• Instagram: @acupboardunderthestairscostume