Q&A with Golden Hour Marin founder Lauren Rahlson

It’s a special Thanksgiving edition with ideas for your post-turkey holiday weekend, including: comedy night at the Marin Center, date night at Cucina, a great spot for whale and wildlife viewing, plus Small Business Saturday-inspired activities.

But first – have you seen these beautiful Golden Hour hoodies around town? In today’s issue, you’ll meet the maker behind the brand, with built-in giving that supports Bay Area teachers.

Enjoy + Happy Thanksgiving!

Kim Neumann

“I want Golden Hour Marin to be a hub of connection, hope, and appreciation for teachers in our community.”

My career has always been rooted in education — I began as a teacher and eventually became a high school principal in Richmond, CA. For years, I dreamed of creating a local apparel company, something that could bring people together around a shared love of place and community. When I moved to Marin just before the pandemic, I instantly knew I had found that special place — a place I wanted to put down roots and build something meaningful. After having my son last year, I finally had the space to step back and think about what was next. I knew I still wanted to support teachers, but in a new way. That’s how Golden Hour was born.

The name has deep meaning for me. When the pandemic hit and all schools transitioned to distance learning, I spent my days on Zoom and really missed connecting with my students. Each afternoon, my husband and I would take long, meandering walks through the hills of Sausalito — always during golden hour. Those quiet moments, bathed in the warmth of sunset, represented hope, calm, and respite in a difficult time. That feeling is at the heart of everything I want Golden Hour to embody.

Two things! First — I actually grew up in England, and I’m not originally from Marin. I moved around quite a bit after college, always craving the feeling of being rooted in one place. When I arrived in Marin, I immediately knew I’d found home. Having experienced so many different communities, I feel so much appreciation for what makes Marin so special — that strong sense of connection and pride. It’s what fuels my passion for celebrating this place through Golden Hour.

Second — I launched this brand when my son was less than a year old, and I now run it while being a stay-at-home mom. He’s my tiny business partner! He comes with me to meet embroiderers, helps pack orders (in his own toddler way), joins me at markets, and tags along for deliveries. It’s a joyful, messy, laughter-filled process, and I love that he’s growing up surrounded by creativity and community.

One thing that sets us apart is our commitment to donating a percentage of our sales directly to Bay Area teachers. Every month, I go to DonorsChoose and select several projects posted by Bay Area teachers to fund. What I love about DonorsChoose is that I can ensure the money is going directly into teachers’ pockets and immediately impacting students in our community.

We also proudly partner with Wizard Threads in Novato to do all of our embroidery and screenprinting. We love to support other local businesses in Marin through our production process.

The beauty of Marin is the best inspiration I could ask for! Whether it’s an early morning drive through the fog or watching the light spill across the hills at sunset, this place never stops taking my breath away. I’m constantly pulling over to capture a view or a color that might find its way into a future design. My goal is to reflect that everyday magic — the moments that make people say, “I can’t believe I live here.”

I’m also deeply inspired by the incredible educators I’ve worked with throughout my career. Their generosity, creativity, and perseverance motivate me daily. Golden Hour is, at its heart, a love letter to them — a way to continue uplifting teachers while celebrating the beauty of our community.

I want people to feel proud — proud of where they live, proud of what their purchase supports, and proud to wear something that’s made with care. I hope each item evokes nostalgia for the memories tied to Marin’s iconic landscapes, and that it brings a sense of happiness knowing it’s sustainably made and helping local teachers thrive.

All of our hoodies are GOTS® certified, meaning that that they have completed the most comprehensive organic certification process. Every step of the supply chain has the highest organic standards including the harvesting of raw materials and environmentally and socially responsible manufacturing. The hoodies also have the OEKO-TEX® Standard 100 certification meaning every component of the garment has been tested safe of harmful substances.

I have big dreams for Golden Hour Marin to become a household name in Marin and the larger Bay Area community. We are known for high quality, local items that people feel proud to wear. I would love to start doing drops every few months of new locations to diversify the Marin locations that are illustrated on our clothing.

My big dream is to be able to make a huge impact on the lives and sustainability of teachers in the Bay Area. We are facing a crisis of teacher shortages and anything we can do to support teachers to feel loved, cared for and supported can make such a difference. I want to fund as many projects as possible and I also want to start bigger grant programs for teachers. There is so much joy in teaching when you can dream up big ideas for your students and have the resources to make it happen. My vision is to be a lifeline for teachers across the Bay Area where they can come to get what they need to make their classroom dreams a reality without having to pay out of their own pocket. I want Golden Hour Marin to be a hub of connection, hope, and appreciation for teachers in our community.

As we head into the holiday season, there will be several promotions and giveaways going on. Follow us on Instagram at @goldenhourmarin to get all of the updates. We will be at the Mill Valley farmers market every Friday in the months of November and December. We will also be at the JCC’s Festival of Lights on December 7.

One new update that I wanted to share is that we have officially been live for a month now so we made our first donation to a teacher. I selected a teacher at Bahia Vista Elementary School in San Rafael and fully funded his project to get a class set of the novel Bud, Not Buddy for his upcoming unit with his students. I'm so proud of our first donation, especially because it's a school just down the street from me.

The best way to support Golden Hour Marin is by sharing the love!

Purchase our apparel, wear it proudly, and tell your friends, family, and community groups about us. Gift our items to other Marin lovers, tag us in your photos, and help spread the word. If you know of a teacher with a classroom project that could use funding, please reach out — I’d love to help. And if you’re interested in collaborating, email me directly at [email protected]. Together, we can keep the light shining bright for both our community and our educators.

Follow Golden Hour Marin on Instagram, check out their website, or just say hi to Lauren!

See more events here.

Thanks for reading,
Kim

Kim Neumann, Publisher