Pictured | Marilyn Valerio
From the mountains of Highlands to boutiques across the country, 23-year-old Marilyn Valerio is building a joyful brand, one quilted, block-printed bag at a time – armed with a sketchpad, a love of florals, and a whole lot of hustle.
Sunshine and Lemmons, her line of handcrafted cotton bags, launched shortly after her graduation from East Carolina University in 2024 with a degree in fashion merchandising.
“I’ve always loved clothing and textiles,” she says. “I’m a girly girl –I love pinks and anything with a romantic, feminine feel – and bags just kind of screamed my name.”
Each piece is handmade in India using traditional block-printing techniques on high-quality cotton.
“India has some of the best cotton in the world,” Marilyn explains. “The prints are all hand-stamped, which gives them that slightly imperfect, beautiful character. I wanted the bags to feel personal.”
The line includes totes, cosmetic bags, and recently, duffels—with more in the works.
Though Marilyn handles everything solo – design, production, marketing – she’s already landed in 10 retail stores, including Acorns in Highlands and Martin’s Family Clothing in Alabama.
“It’s just me putting myself out there,” she says. “My customers have found me through social media—usually a DM or email after seeing my post.” Customers are often surprised to learn the bags are the work of a one-woman operation.
“People assume I have a whole team,” Marilyn says with a laugh. “But it’s just me – every shipment, every design.” That personal touch is part of what makes the brand special. She’s also found inspiration in the community that raised her.
“There’s something really meaningful about building a business in the place that built you.”
The brand’s name Sunshine” comes from a nickname Marilyn has always been called, and “Lemmons” is for her fiancé, Sebastian Lemmons, a banquet bar manager at Old Edwards. He was the one who encouraged her to bring the brand to life – and that’s how Sunshine & Lemmons was born.
The couple met in Highlands as teenagers and are planning a spring wedding next year.
Her dream is to open a storefront on Main Street that features not only her bags, but a collection of home décor and, one day, her own clothing designs. Until then, Sunshine and Lemmons will deliver handcrafted beauty with every stitch.
To learn more, visit shopsunshineandlemmons.com or Acorns (212 South 4th Street in Highlands).
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