Brand To Know: Maria De La Orden Studio
The Story
After a trip to Peru aged 19, founder Maria de la Orden brought lots of colourful fabrics home with her and turned them into clothes for friends and family. Inspired by the prints and geometric shapes, she met her business partner Laura de la Révélière and the pair launched Maria de la Orden Studio in 2019. Since then, the brand has gone from strength to strength, with Maria crediting the pandemic as partly fuelling their rapid rise to the top. “People were yearning for summer pieces and a vacation-style spirit that felt out of reach at the time,” she says.
The Design
Maria says most of her designs are inspired by her childhood and travels, as well as books and vintage stores. This is evident in her playful, colourful yet feminine pieces, which range from roomy dresses to tie shoulder tops and classic swimwear. “Our bestsellers are all our smocked pieces,” says Maria. “People also love our Corsica shirt, as well as our Saint Barth dress and our jumpsuits. They feel very original and cute, almost like little girls' clothes, which is why I think people fall in love with them.” The brand also keeps sustainability front of mind when creating its collections: “We work with European suppliers and always choose natural fibres, like cotton, linen, wool and cashmere, in our designs,” explains Maria. “Where possible, we also buy upcycled fabrics from couture houses and make capsule collections from them – our aim is not to contribute to the mass waste in the fashion industry.”
The Difference
A fashion influencer in her own right, so it’s no surprise Maria counts the brand’s Instagram presence as one of its main USPs. “We have a strong Instagram community that grows by the week – our followers like to keep their eyes peeled for new items which are released in our weekly ‘Friday Rendezvous’.” We also respond to pretty much every single DM, whether it’s a question about the clothes or even a restaurant recommendation.”
Up Next
Aside from launching a concession in Paris’ iconic department store Le Bon Marché, Maria de la Orden has largely been limited to an online presence. However, the brand has now set its sights further afield. “From October, we’ll be launching more physical locations for customers to shop the brand, first in Spain and then in London for the first time,” says Maria. “We also have an amazing winter collection in the pipeline, so stay tuned for that.”
All Images Courtesy of Maria de la Orden Studio. Visit MariaDeLaOrden.com
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