Marle
New Zealand born, with a dedication to creating timeless wardrobe pieces in exclusively natural fibres. Among the many aspects of Marle that we love, they are meticulous with yarn and fibre selection which is evidenced in how their garments feel to wear, surpassing their visual appeal. Their trusted, clean shapes are often re-cut and developed each season in evolved renditions, providing season-less, foundational staples and elevated basics to be worn time and time again.
We spoke with Juliet, Marle's founder about her journey here.
What led you to start Marle & can you tell us a bit about the path that led you here?
Starting a brand had long been my plan, after completing my degree I worked in multiple areas of the industry to get a full understanding of the ins and outs and started building Marle when we had our first baby. I grew up in a very creative family and was always encouraged and supported to follow this path. I majored in knitwear for my degree so knew that would be where I would start the business as I also felt there was space in the market for a more modern take on traditional knitwear.
There's a real sense of timelessness and sophistication in your pieces, what are the most important considerations when designing a Marle range and what would you say the brand stands for?
Those two attributes are the building blocks to each collection along with the fabric or yarn used in each piece. I try to breakdown the constructs of traditional seasons by creating timeless silhouettes and letting the fabric or yarn propel the piece yet always thinking how the garments can transcend time and season to carry over from warm to cooler times of the year. I am personally drawn to a more elegant yet modern way of dressing that has an everyday ease and feel that is reflected in the collections we create.
It's fantastic that you exclusively use natural fibres, how else do you approach sustainability?
Thank you, through the use of natural fibres we are able to tell our brand story and what we stand for. We use Oeko-Tex certified yarn for all of our knitwear and majority of our silk pieces, we’re also about to launch GOTS certified organic cotton basics. We use compostable packaging at all stages of our production, these bags are TUV certified and break down in a matter of weeks, trIed and tested by our team in the office. Our care labels are all 100% cotton so they also breakdown at the end of the garments life along with the whole garment – what comes from the earth can return to the earth.
How have you & your business adjusted in light of recent times?
2020 has provided a lot of learnings yet cemented the fact that women are investing in high quality yet low-impact pieces that instil comfort and elegance into their lifestyles. We have moved deliveries to be more reflective of the season and are continuing to be thoughtful when designing to ensure pieces are truly what our women are wanting from us while also reflecting the change in lifestyle we’re all experiencing.
Can you impart any tips or advice for small business owners? Or any great advice you've been given?
I think being reactive and keeping aware of situations around the world is very important when running a business now. Ensure you have a great support network around you who understand the industry you’re in or seek out a mentor, having a sounding board is extremely beneficial.
What are your hopes for the brand's future?
To continue creating pieces for our community of women built upon natural fibres.