An eye for fashion: Wilson grad Molly Bloom is creating her own lifestyle brand
Jan. 18—Molly Bloom was 11 years old when the first season of "Project Runway" went on the air in 2004. It was the first time she saw adults do anything involving fashion and it made her aware of what she was wearing.
"From a very young age, I knew I wanted to do something with clothes," Bloom said. After teaching herself how to sew, she made many trips to JoAnn Fabrics and made prom dresses for herself and her friends.
That initial spark paid off well for the Youngstown native. She's now running her self-titled lifestyle brand that produces jumpsuits, handbags, illustrations and other items.
A graduate of Wilson High School, Bloom attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City, getting her first job in the fashion world at age 19 developing and designing clothes and as a liaison between factories.
"It was a three-year job that catapulted my skillset beyond what my classmates were doing," Bloom said.
That would lead Bloom to produce her first runway show at age 20, during New York Fashion Week. She was in charge of hiring casting directors, PR companies, models, stylists, and photographers, and doing venue scouting. She would also work for HonorNYC, a brand of high-end luxury dresses.
After seven years working in New York City, Bloom took a job in Alabama with Billy Reid, becoming more proficient in design as she made utility clothing.
In her last year with Billy Reid, as she started developing her clothing brand, Bloom came across a 1930s jumpsuit worn by female service pilots at a vintage shop in Chattanooga. It came to be like a second skin to her, and jumpsuits for men and women became the first main pieces in her product line.
When Billy Reid asked her to design their women's collection, Bloom said no. The COVID-19 pandemic also led her to leave that company and go out on her own.
"I put my heart and soul in work for someone else's company," Bloom said. "I reached a point where I want to put my heart and soul into my own work."
The Molly Bloom line launched in 2022, selling jumpsuits, handbags and bandanas; future items will include blankets, rugs, sweaters, T-shirts and hats. Bloom also makes illustrations for hospitality clients in Brooklyn and Nashville.
Everything Bloom sells is designed in her Lewiston home, which she moved into in 2020 and renovated with her father over 10 months.
The jumpsuits are made in New York City, the bandanas are made in Philadelphia, and the handbags are made in India. Blankets will be made in Italy and rugs will be made in Morocco.
Products are currently only available for purchase through www.mollybloom.us. Bloom hopes to eventually sell her goods wholesale to local stores and boutiques across the country. She is planning a showing of her clothes and designs in Lynchburg, Virginia in March.
