Marzia Bellotti: "You can't please everyone, so why sell yourself?"

Marzia Bellotti knows a thing or two about brands. Former Creative Director and Co-founder of Khrisjoy, she’s now embarking on a new journey. It's called Marbell, and it represents both a personal and creative evolution, a true voyage celebrating freedom, individuality, and authentic self-expression. Starting from the name, which fuses Marzia’s first and last names, the project becomes, in every sense, an extension of the founder’s artistic vision. With Marbell, she breaks free from traditional clothing categories, embracing a conceptual aesthetic that goes beyond outerwear to explore new combinations and silhouettes.

Interview with Marzia Bellotti, founder of Marbell

Marbell was born as a direct extension of your identity. What sparked the beginning of this new creative chapter?

More than a spark, it was a long journey filled with compromises and sacrifices, a path that helped me grow, mature, and reach a new awareness: I am Marzia, shaped by my past - mistakes and all - but finally able to do what I truly want. Even if “you can’t always get what you want,” I take full responsibility. Free to fail!

In your press release, you talk about fashion "without commercial compromises." What does being truly free at work mean to you today?

I think true freedom is being able to realize your ideas, even if they go against the grain, while staying authentic and true to yourself. You can’t please everyone, so why sell out?

What idea of femininity do you want to express through Marbell?

To me, femininity is about having a strong personality and great charisma, which can also be conveyed through clothing. It allows you to express the many emotions we all carry inside - even destructive fragility at times: sexy, dandy, grunge, romantic, punk and so on. We’re always different, but always the same.

You’ve named the garments after iconic women: what do these figures represent to you and how are they connected to the collection?

Each woman I chose embodies my vision of femininity, and each gave me inspiration. The Kristen (Stewart) model: a short bomber jacket she’d wear with a skateboard and All Stars; Amy (Winehouse): low-waist silhouette, very ’80s, just like her cropped tees; Kate (Moss): her old Coachella pic with short shorts and plastic boots; Iryna (Shayk): a trench layered over a jacket; Erin (Wasson): trousers forever!

All pieces are Made in Italy. How important is the connection to local craftsmanship for you?

I've always worked to preserve Made in Italy, despite the challenges it brings (especially in terms of cost). For me, it’s essential to visit the factories, understand their story, see their world, and feel their products first-hand.

Being an independent brand brings challenges but also great expressive strength. What does leading a project like Marbell mean to you as founder and creative? What specific challenges do you face?

Being both founder and creative has its pros and cons (as with everything, no job is perfect, thankfully). The creative part comes easiest to me: coming up with ideas, doing research, visiting suppliers, finding fabrics, experimenting... Then comes the administrative side: budgets, costs, payments, distribution. Unfortunately, you can’t have one without the other. My challenge is offering a creative, high-quality product that also sells and ensures a future for the company.

You’ve mentioned community: what kind of dialogue do you want to build with those who wear Marbell? What role does the public play in shaping the brand?

Like attracts like! I want a community that shares the same tastes, topics, and interests... a strong sense of empathy. Together with Pilot Room (my PR agency), I’m working to create gatherings with press and talents where we can exchange and even clash ideas, get feedback and new perspectives. A real family. Even the final customer walking into a store matters deeply, which is why I plan to host pop-ups in Italy and abroad - with me there - to understand better who identifies with Marbell.

If you had to describe Marbell in three words, what would they be and why?

Personality (you’re a woman who knows herself), awareness (a natural result of the first), and fragility (because it’s through darkness that we truly discover who we are).

How do you imagine Marbell’s future evolution over the next few years?

In terms of categories, outerwear will remain my core, but I’ll keep adding touches from other lines, perhaps through partnerships with brands that specialize in them for added credibility, to further convey the mood. Commercially, I aim to strengthen the 40 existing clients who trusted me from day one, gain new ones (MyTheresa is a goal), and build customer loyalty - but slowly, step by step. After all, what really matters is the journey, not the destination.