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LETTER FROM JULIA MOLLOY

A magazine, why a magazine, I thought to myself at 4:30 in the morning as I struggled to fall back asleep. My internal light bulb had gone off and it wouldn’t stop flashing visions of magazine covers, articles and friends I could feature, traveling to grand resorts to do interviews, and bold new products to feature. Visions of grandeur and grit swirled a dreamscape in my drowsy imagination, making my heart beat faster despite my need for more sleep.

The next few days the question lingered as I pondered my next challenge.

BOLD–Business of Luxury Design–needed something new. Or, maybe I was just getting bored. As if an inter- national consulting firm and the luxury BOLD Summit business conference wasn’t enough, right!? And I literally know nothing about doing a magazine, I thought.

Then I remembered something I hadn’t thought of for decades. I was shocked when I realized that I’ve done this before, kind of. A long-forgotten memory emerged. It was sixth grade, I was sweet, meek, a little dorky, and I didn’t have cool clothes to wear. I had no older siblings to show me the ropes. I needed a haircut and fashion advice terribly. Being a late bloomer and 2 sizes smaller than other kids my age, I wore a lot of uncool hand me downs and a scuffed-up pair of brown penny loafers with fringe that curled up at the ends. But I was a straight A student and I had ideas for my school, Mark Twain Elementary. I wanted to fix up our playground and create a donations table for extra lunch food kids didn’t want. I decided I would put my name in to be class President.

I made posters and a speech. I wore my favorite bright yellow pleated dress, that flared out like a flower when I twirled, to give my speech in. I went up on the stage in front of the school and told them all my great ideas. I was terrified. When I was done, I think a total of 3 people clapped, until they realized no one else was, and then they awkwardly stopped. The whole day everyone made fun of my fancy yellow dress. I told them that I didn’t ‘dress up’ for the speech, I just randomly felt like wearing it. My first experience (but definitely not the last) in being fabulously overdressed.

At the end of the next day, the results were announced over the classroom intercom. The Principal announced that Marci won. Marci!? I sunk in my chair. Perfect, blonde, Jordache jean wearing, snotty, little miss popular won! She didn’t even have a speech! She simply said “Hi” and laughed as everyone cheered. Really?

Broken and confused, I went in to talk to the Principal, Mr. Gooch, after school. Again, I was terrified. I told him I thought it was unfair. He agreed. He gave me a hug. Then he suggested I do what I wanted to do anyway and that I could still influence the school. He suggested I start a magazine. Brilliant! So that’s what I did!

I drew pictures of the revamped playground with new equipment and more loungy benches, complete with full landscaping, of course. I had my quirky friends draw dungeons and dragons’ comics. I interviewed my Principal and the lunch ladies and included photos I took with my first camera I had just gotten for my birthday. I wrote the articles out on pieces of paper in my best handwriting and taped them together.

The ladies in the office made copies for me and I distributed my very first magazine and called it “The Mark Twain Times”, at a ripe age of 12. I think I had two editions and yes, I did manage to get a table set up in the lunchroom. I made a big poster that said, “Share your lunch”, with Lisa Frank and Hello Kitty stickers on it (Ooooo, Fancy!). And I know that at least for a semester, a few kids that normally

got nothing more than peanut butter sandwiches and carrot sticks for lunch got the sweet paradise that was donated boxes of animal crackers, with the string handle, Oreo’s, and a rare Twinkie. It was not much of a legacy, but I did it. And that is how it all began. That was my first magazine. And now you could say, BOLD by Design, is my encore.

A lot has changed since then. But as they say, the more things change, the more they stay the same. I can still be meek, but I work hard to be brave and BOLD every day. I still have quirky friends and I absolutely ADORE them.

I still have a lot of ideas on how to make the world a better place. I am still a little rough around the edges at times and yes, I’m still FABULOUSLY overdressed unless I’m in yoga pants, which is pretty much all the rest of the time.

I’m ready to change the world. I’m ready to share the BOLD vision. I’m ready to step onto that big stage in my bright yellow dress that flairs out like a flower when I twirl.

Yes, I’m ready to be BOLD.

So…let’s begin, shall we?

Julia Molloy

Me, circa 6th grade, wearing hand me downs and my well-worn penny loafers with fringe that curled at the ends.

Me, circa 6th grade

My well-worn penny loafers with fringe that curled at the ends.