Austin-based Fashion Line, Molyan, Features Wearable Art Pieces Popping with Color
Learn about this local brand that offers small-batch, handmade jackets and caps designed to nurture self expression
In the past year, Austin-based designer Molly Dery has grown her luxury line of chic chainstitched coats to now include colorful caps as well as a collab with Austin’s iconic Hotel Saint Cecilia. We were thrilled to recently catch up with Dery to discuss the success of her brand, Molyan, and learn more about what’s ahead.
Inspiration from West Texas Landscapes
Having grown up in El Paso, Dery drew inspiration from the landscapes of far West Texas where the vibrant sunrises and sunsets sparked her creativity. Life on the border provided beautiful, natural color combinations of the desert and gorgeous skies that can be seen in some of the rich colors of the stitching on the Molyan line.
With a career as an anesthetist, Dery’s transition into fashion design came about simply as a way to unleash her creativity. Working in the medical field was not an environment in which she could express her colorful side, and Molyan became the perfect avenue for Dery to tap into playfulness.
“I was always fascinated by the process of textiles and putting something into production,” Dery shared. “So I thought, okay, how am I going to do this? I had a design that I had been thinking about for a few years, and I decided to sketch it out, and then I took it to a chain-stitcher.”
Dery then began a fun way to beta test her jacket, which she designed as a unique combination of a blazer and a chore coat. “I had the design stitched on two jackets, one for my husband and one for me. And we just sort of wore it around town to see if people would respond to it, and we had a very positive response.”
Molyan’s Quality Craftmanship
With a priority to ensure that this brand would have the highest quality craftsmanship, Dery sought out an all female team to create the small-batch line of striking jackets that can go from day to night. When it came to a name for her brand, it was an easy decision. Most people know Dery by the name Molly, but her birth name is Molyan Dery, which was a natural namesake for her brand.
The Molyan jackets are truly wearable art which Dery designed “to promote individuality…so you can wear something that’s beautiful and interesting.”
Caps and Collabs
In addition to Dery’s line of jackets, she has now added hats to her collection. The colorful caps also feature the brand’s signature chainstitching.
While most orders for the Molyan line would be placed online, a small selection can also be purchased at Austin’s charming Hotel Saint Cecilia. Dery noted that she had her very first trunk show pop-up at the hotel during SXSW last year, and the response was very positive. She did another pop-up trunk show at this location in December with a great outpouring from the community. So Dery then spoke with the team and decided to create a custom design that is sold in the hotel’s gift shop.
What’s next for Molyan? Dery will continue her artistic endeavors noting that “eventually I want to get into textile pieces like tapestries and big framed artwork.”
To see more of what’s to come, you can follow on Instagram at @molyanstudio. Of course, you can shop at molyan.com.
