Marcella’s Design Philosophy: The Anatomy of the New York Outfit
If we had to sum up our design inspiration in three words, it would be simply “New” and “York” and “City.” From Marcella’s humble beginnings during a date at a Manhattan Italian restaurant, Creative Director Siyana Huszar has been obsessed with creating the essential wardrobe elements of the perfect New York outfit - the “minimalism with an edge” wardrobe combining luxury, style and affordability. Our entire line of affordable clothing and accessories is designed with New York women in mind: women who live a fast-paced lifestyle; women who seek versatile, stylish pieces that will last; women with small closets and big bills (!); women who care about ethics just as much as they care about looking good; and, above all, women with artistic, individualistic flair.
Designed in NYC
Millions of people have been inspired by New York's architecture, energy, culture, and its exciting off-the-beaten-track locations, moments, and experiences. Consider us part of the group. Our brand’s design philosophy is to translate the unique energy of New York into a collection of utilitarian fashion pieces with a creative edge. Non coincidentally, like the city’s inhabitants, each of our pieces exude a bold individual edge: from our shapes, to our ethics, to our utilitarianism, to our heritage.
Our Shapes
Like the city’s architecture, our New York outfit basics combine clean lines and geometric shapes with the occasional surprise of asymmetry.
New York is known for its diverse peoples and cultures, but its unique collection of skyscrapers - spanning different historical periods and design philosophies - contributes a great deal to Gotham’s status as the greatest city in the world. Reflected in their minimalist geometric facades, one sees the city’s citizens - pursuing hectic professions and leading cosmopolitan lifestyles. New York’s high-rises epitomize the excitement of life in a busy city, where space is at a premium and attention to detail is everything. Like those buildings, Marcella’s collection of edgy, minimalist pieces focus on bold, architectural shapes and striking cut-out details to bring you a unique line of designer clothing. Catch a stylish glimpse of collarbone in the Bryant Top, or stand out in the timeless architectural asymmetry of our Noelle Top.
"There came a time in my life when I realized that, as much as I liked to dress like a cool, edgy New Yorker, I couldn't really afford it. That's when I decided to change that for myself and for tens of millions of other women around the world." - Siyana Huszar, Creative Director of Marcella NYC
Our Utilitarianism
Living in a city like New York means dressing for a fast-paced lifestyle that combines form and function. New York women need clothes that can take them from day to night and will work well in either a bustling bar and an elegant art gallery. With limited storage space (those small closets!), New Yorkers excel at choosing fewer but better quality items to enhance their lives, curating pieces that are multifunctional and timeless. We’ve translated these values into utilitarian fashion that’s all about combining grace, comfort and convenience, showing that function and fashion can coexist. For example, our Karma Boots, Marcella’s take on the minimalist biker boot, will keep you warm, dry, and comfortable as you explore a new borrough. For summer, there’s our barely-there Essie Sandals, complete with adjustable straps.
Our Ethics
At Marcella, we also take inspiration from New Yorkers’ commitment to stand up for the things that matter to them. In our minds, ethics and aesthetics are two sides of the same coin. We believe that good design should not only be accessible to everyone but can help take care of the earth’s precious natural resources and support the goals of social justice and equal rights for people across the globe. Our brand places emphasis on ethical production rather than on creating fast fashion following transient trends, relying on exploitative labor practices or producing excessive waste. Instead, we design and produce timeless closet staples, day to night pieces, and season-less garments employing a mission known as Design That Matters™ - an approach that combines accessibly priced designer wear, ethical production processes emphasizing fair wages and minimizing inventory overproduction, and social impact (support of five school days for a girl in need with every design sold).
Our Heritage
The story of our brand heritage is a quintessential New York narrative - the immigrant’s tale. Our line is inspired by and named after Siyana’s grandmother Marta, nicknamed Marcella, who grew up in a place with few opportunities and yet was able to become one of Bulgaria’s most prominent designers. Her strength of character, focus on meticulous tailoring, and attention to detail live on in the ambition of her granddaughter, Siyana, who moved to New York City to start a fashion brand based on impeccable construction and timeless design.
Like the multitude of adopted New Yorkers who have brought with them the richness and craftsmanship of their countries of birth, Marcella merges a distinctive European design heritage, the edge, sophistication, and excitement of New York City, and a contemporary commitment to sustainable and ethical production. The result? A collection of elegant but edgy upscale street style that will help you create your own personalized take on the perfect New York outfit.