Tucked away in a quaint little storefront in Gordonsville is Folkling, an oasis of vintage clothing, heritage textiles, and American-made goods. Folkling is a sustainable venture dedicated to finding old things new homes, creating quality goods with makers, and taking life slow. The mastermind behind it all is Leney Breeden.
Breeden grew up in the Fan District in Richmond, where she had her hands in numerous creative ventures. Through her photography business, A Girl Named Leney, she shot portraiture work and weddings. She curated clothing for various shops, and at one point even had her own fitwear business, for which she designed and created collections.
During this time, Breeden created the Folkling Instagram account. “It started as homewares,” says Breeden. “I love curating and designing vignettes.” Breeden would thrift items from around the city, create small still lifes, post the photographs, and sell the items through Instagram.
A nomad at heart, Breeden decided to hit the road in 2017 to pursue more photojournalistic projects. Over the next two years, she’d head out for days, weeks, or even months at a time, in her Subaru Outback named Blue Moon.
“Folkling is what kept me going between photo jobs,” says Breeden. “Once I was on the road it centered more on clothing, particularly Western Wear, Native American jewelry, and old denim—really beautiful pieces that you don’t necessarily find on the East Coast.”
Then the pandemic hit, and everything stopped. All of Breeden’s photo jobs got canceled, and Folkling was all she had left. “I put my all into it, and it kind of blew up.” It got to the point where Breeden could no longer work out of her second bedroom. Then one day on a drive through Gordonsville, she saw a “for rent” sign on Main Street and knew the small town was the perfect place for Folkling to settle.
The Folkling brick and mortar opened in December of 2020, and it’s chock-full of clothing and goods that Breeden’s acquired from people and places during her travels. “I would find some things thrifting on occasion,” Breeden says. “But I also just started meeting people all around the country who had stuff that they didn’t know what to do with, or things that they loved and valued, but just wanted someone to appreciate the story that went along with it, and appreciate the beauty in these old things.”
Showcasing the beauty in the old, mundane, and imperfect is part of Folkling’s mission. “We try to help people appreciate things that are worn and imperfect,” says Breeden. “Finding beauty in the imperfection of things that have withstood the test of time.”
Each item in the Folkling shop has a story, many of which Breeden researches and documents for her archives, a process that can take months depending on an item’s condition. Folkling’s inventory is constantly being refreshed as new items are ready to be sold, so you never know what you’ll find on the racks and shelves.
Vintage clothing that caters to a variety of aesthetics from the ’70s and earlier is always in stock. You might find a fun ’30s playsuit, a well-worn pair of jodhpurs, or some sturdy Levi’s. Folkling also sells antique homewares, handmade items, and American-made goods that are responsibly produced, including ceramics, rugs, and clothing made from deadstock fabrics.
Breeden curates a monthly collection of quilts from the ’40s and earlier for the shop, too. Each one is a work of art, and she tries hard to identify and document the patterns before listing them. “The quilts I find represent so much of an untold story of the women who made them,” says Breeden. “The women who made them weren’t really allowed to make art, and so they turned this utilitarian thing into a beautiful art piece. It’s a story I’m constantly captivated by.”
Folkling is open for in-person shopping Fridays and Saturdays, and online orders from folkling.co usually ship within one week.