Marloru Bags: A Love for Surf and Sea Creates a New Creative Concept
Last March we knew things were about to get weird. We are Christina and Adam King, and between the two of us, we have been blessed with education, experience, and resilience. A global pandemic brought infinite unknowns and more questions than answers. I remember being scared but calm; confused but focused. As an artist and as a creator, I felt I was part of this world crisis and very much “non-essential.” We had no control over what was happening outside of our home. However, we knew what we could do, and what we had to do was adapt and get creative.
Stuck at home together, we decided to combine our strengths and find a way to lift to people up through art. Looking back, it’s kind of funny how a designer and a photographer took so long to work together—but we’re having so much fun now that we finally did! After many years of working for some of the largest brands in the surf and fashion industries, I’ve often considered building something of my own one day. The year of 2020 provided that opportunity for us.
Necessity is the mother of all creation.We live on Amelia Island with our 2 young children, which to us means water is life. It both calms and excites. Yoga on the beach, surfing, swimming, or riding our bikes at low tide is how we spend most days. Everything gets wet and sand is inevitable. With so much of our lives revolving around the water, I decided to re-think the classic beach bag. I wanted a strap that would keep my hands free, a zip closure to secure valuables, and most importantly, I needed a splash friendly material to keep everything dry. In addition to its function, I wanted the look and feel to be laid-back and wearable for everyday use. I simply started with the fun part: the design. After months of trial and error, our boho, beach-chic line of bags was born. Your bag gets wet, but your stuff stays dry! We call it “stash and splash.” Marloru was created as a special tribute and outlet for women to support other women. Our hope is to change perspective on things than cannot be changed.
Merging passions: water and art. At the age of four, my parents were pulling me behind a speed boat with my life jacket on and my skis tied together. Grandparents, siblings, aunts and uncles all gathered around, cheering me on as I left the shore. I’ve been finding ways to ride on water ever since. I untied my skis, started slaloming, wake boarding, wake surfing, and of course, tubing. About a year ago, I decided to learn to surf. I thought it would be a natural crossover; that my previous water experiences would somehow allow me to skip right to the next level. However, surfing is like trying to jump on a moving train that doesn’t run on schedule or even follow the same tracks. It’s a completely new sport and skill set. I had to really work for it. My victory wasn’t about being great out on the ocean, it was that I was out there trying.
The same is true with art. The bags we sell today are not our first drafts. We’ve made several revisions along the way, learned some valuable lessons and realized that things don’t happen overnight... It’s ok to make mistakes and if you want something bad enough, you’re going to have to work really hard for it and we’re lucky enough to be surrounded by family and friends cheering us on.
Adam, too, is happiest in the water. He’s always been equal parts creative and tech savvy, which is why photography, specifically water photography, is the perfect fit for him. For years, he’s been able to escape to the water to shoot, then re-tell his story by editing his photos on the computer, creating a perfectly balanced analog to digital lifestyle. For a longtime, we’ve been working on creative projects separately, but through Marloru, we’ve been able to fuse our talents and build our brand together. His art is a big piece of the branding puzzle and he’s the business mind behind this operation. Most importantly, he’s a constant voice of encouragement.Through Adam’s photography and a bit of storytelling, social media has given us a strong platform to give Marloru an identity. Our social presence is a great way to build women up and support one another. So, instead of just saying, "Here's a pretty picture of our product,” we want it to read, "Check out this awesome person," and include a photo of their art, hobbies or recent accomplishments. The goal is women supporting and elevating women!
Marloru started as a way to escape and be creative, but once it got out into the world, we were surprised how quickly a community of support grew around it. Suddenly, it belongs to everyone, which we love.
We currently offer two styles of Marloru bags. The Sun-day bag has a cross body strap that keeps your hands free and fits everything you need for a fun-filled day. The Twofer is our smaller cosmetic bag which has belt loops on the back and can be worn as a hip pack. We felt it was important to introduce Marloru with our vibrant, up-beat print, the Mexi-Flo because after 2020, everyone can use a little extra sunshine. The Coyote print is inspired by the wild sunsets and red earth I encountered on a trip to the mountains, but is actually lovingly named after our son and the Kayla print is named after our daughter who is an artist in every sense of the world.
Last summer a friend of ours, a surfboard shaper, needed a new logo. He said he’d make me a board if I made him a logo. Sweet trade, right? He even let me use the Coyote print as the artwork. Check him out at @psurfboardsfernandina.
Marloru has given us a unique opportunity to work as a family towards a common goal. It has introduced our kids to many talented athletes, adventurers, and artists. We hope being around these positive and influential people will encourage our kids to believe in their own abilities. It’s important for our kids too, every once in a while, to see us outside of our mom and dad roles. You can’t just tell them things, sometimes, you need to show them. “Follow your dreams,”doesn’t mean much unless they see us actively chasing after ours.
Christina King, is the owner/designer of Marloru. She’s been in the surf & fashion industry for many years. Together, with husband, Adam King (our featured photographer), along with their 2 kids, reside in Amelia Island. Follow @marlorubags or check out their website for more information at marloru.com.
Written by Christina King / Photography by Adam King