Multi-faceted creative Kiara
Marzella began styling and
making pieces at just
15-years-old, putting
together outfits with her
mother for the members of a
girl band she managed and
was also part of. Her first
love was always music and
dance growing up, but the
fashion world was always
close by, going hand in hand
with her two actual passions.
Her love for fashion would really kick in after noticing the style of her favourite musicians, actors and cultural figures, who would always have a unique style tied to their primary talents. Certain names like ……. And ..… had a particular influence on her style. Growing up in Glasgow, Scotland, there was nothing around for Kiara to be creatively stimulated by, whether that was creating herself or just seeing people embrace their own aesthetic. Therefore, she would find true fantasy in things she would see on the television, particularly in music videos, ultimately birthing her interest and love for fashion.
“You should never put yourself in a box and every passion you have, try it to find out what’s best for you.”
— these are thoughts which reflect Kiara’s life and her approach to new challenges.
Fast track to 2020 and you’ll find an inspired woman who has been developing and evolving her fashion sense via social media and industry connections in her close circle. Between the two, she has been able to visualize outfits better, find new and exciting brands, and take inspo from influencers worldwide, who express themselves through their style.
By taking a short look at Kiara’s social media profiles, you’ll see evidence of the aforementioned journey (click here). Mixed in with her influences, she clearly has garnered a key eye for non-generic apparel, even when purchasing from the world’s biggest retailers. Often mixing in high fashion brands without overdoing it, the millennial has a burgeoning range.
Without any prior education, including university or otherwise, Ms Marzella did nothing but nurture her interest in the industry and has been lucky enough to be able to explore it further. The singer and dancer used her career as a music artist to travel, and this paired with recreational holidays helped her pick up fashion trends on a city-to-city basis internationally.
In terms of being a manager and director, Kiara has been thrown straight into many important business and creative situations, learning from them each and every time. She’s held positions in retail since she was 18, and more senior managing roles in Ibiza, Manchester & London. These were start-up companies in the food industry, however, she ran them successfully with the help of her team. Her parents instilled a managerial mindset inside of her, having their own company providing plenty of advice and understanding. This conjunction with a modern day music career - which requires you to be self-managed, self-motivating and self-dependent - has had a lasting effect on her work ethic and independence.
Influence has come in all shapes and forms, by producers who also write with artists and more, however, ultimately without a serious budget, it’s reliant on the artist to distribute the song and create a mini-movie around it. Although with passion, this is far from a chore and Kiara enjoys bringing ideas to life, hiring in dancers, choreographing and location hunting, which she has done numerous times in places in the UK, Europe & UAE to date.
Other forms of experience include hosting auditions for videos (self-organised and ran), and putting together two girl groups with the help of a partner at the time. Also in 2016, Kiara co-founded a clothing line which she designed the items by herself. This female empowerment brand was called ‘Niche Clothing‘ and was showcased at London Fashion Week in 2017. It gained an incredible response upon travelIng, where Kiara would show people the label internationally to assess how well the brand translates in other nations.
Kiara hopes to gain even more experience in the fashion industry and learn more about the process of getting apparel from paper to retail. She also is looking to play key roles in upcoming brands and potentially established brands too. Clearly music is her first love, but she has a deep-rooted, true passion for fashion also. Check out Kiara’s social media to get a glimpse of how she chooses to express herself and her unique style.