Meet Marion Maynor | Designer & Founder of BLACK BORDERS

We had the good fortune of connecting with Marion Maynor and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Marion, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I worked for a small sustainable brand as a production seamstress from 2019 – 2021. During this time I witnessed an incredible lack of diversity within the sustainable fashion industry–in the styles, the models, the employees. The prices were also way out of my reach, and I realized I just didn’t fit into this world. I loved to design and I’d gotten really good at sewing, so I decided to share what I’d learned by starting BLACK BORDERS. My brand is about empowering BIPOC and queer communities. I wanted stylish, handmade clothing to be available to everyone.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
BLACK BORDERS began for me as a safe place; an empty room where I could put all my ideas without the influence of others. Then it grew into a safe place for the community, particularly BIPOC and queer communities underrepresented in the sustainable fashion world. Now it’s something different, and every day it’s evolving as a true manifestation of my own changing values and creativity. My business is an extension of myself and I take that very seriously.

I am most proud of the execution of my brand as a solopreneur. I do all the patternmaking, grading, sewing, and marketing myself, and I am unrelenting in my pursuit of perfection.  Because BLACK BORDERS and I are one and the same, there is so much love behind-the-scenes. A customer may see an interesting jacket or a cute top, but I know it to be hours on end of drafting, tweaking, prototyping, sizing, and nerding-out with improved sewing techniques. There is a thoughtfulness and authenticity to everything I produce and I am so pumped to have found success by staying true to myself.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way is that the doubts and fears don’t go away. The vulnerability that comes with sharing yourself with others has been a massive influence on me as I’ve pushed to keep my brand alive. For me, there is no getting around it, only through it. Every day that I push forward is another opportunity for me to find success.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I like to begin any visit with a tour of my neighborhood, with art and food as the grounding points for the agenda. I live on the west side where Lee + White and Boggs Social & Supply are my go-to spots for local eats, drinks, and events, and they support a ton of small businesses. For experiencing visual art, we’re going to Peters Street Station which houses the most talented artists and collaborators, and the surrounding Castleberry Hill neighborhood is great to get lost in. We might pop over to MET Atlanta, check out some shops, and see what’s open for lunch. I would invite them to East Atlanta Village where there are a ton of food, drink, and show options; 529 Bar, Southern Feedstore, Octopus Bar, and Gaja are some of my favorites. And to include a few must-see-in-my-opinion sites a little further from home, we’re going to the Atlanta Botanical Gardens, and the High Museum of Art on first Friday. And of course, we’ll walk the Beltline; my favorite path is from Victory Sandwiches in Inman Park to Ponce City Market and back.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I owe so much to Suzy Furrer and Apparel Arts Productions. Suzy was my boss and mentor, and her program gave me the confidence I needed to start BLACK BORDERS. Her book, Building Patterns: The Architecture of Women’s Clothing, is still recognized in my studio as the patternmaking bible and I reference it often. Thanks for everything, Suzy!

Website: www.blackxborders.com

Instagram: @blackxborders

Image Credits
Mike D Shot Me Photography Eye Am Photography