Photography by Leyla Ní Choimín, Ines Pesado and Marta Turalska
This Dublin designer is playing with the tension between frills and edge
Bringing the opulence of Victorian fashion into the modern era with fun, bold twists, Marmala’s totes, skirts, and made-to-order pieces have made quite the splash in under a year in business.
My name is Marta Turalska, and I’m 26 years old. In college, I studied architecture and did a Masters degree in graphic design. I started Marmala in January of this year as I have always had an interest in fashion and design.
My friends helped me to come up with the name Marmala, ‘Mar’ derived from my name and ‘Mala’ meaning ‘bag’ in Irish.
Around October of last year, I signed up to do a short sewing course at Change Clothes, and had never touched a sewing machine before. The course was great. I learnt the basics of sewing and had the opportunity to try something new. I made my first ever bag in December 2024. It was all done by hand stitching, and I still use it.
My mum had a sewing machine at home, so when I went home for Christmas, I sewed every day and started experimenting with different techniques. I set myself a goal of making at least one bag a day.
As much as I love bags, I have a huge passion for clothes. I completed a short course at the Grafton Academy of Fashion to learn the basics of pattern making. Since the beginning of Marmala, my friends have been the biggest supporters, they helped me with the name, the logo, modelled for me and gave me the best advice.
Deep down, I knew I wanted to be a fashion designer, but I don’t think I was ready for it right after finishing school. I didn’t know myself well enough back then. In many ways, I’m glad that I only started, as I’m a lot more confident and I believe in my ideas.
I always knew I wanted to be a creative, as making gives my life fulfilment. I tried many different creative fields such as art, architecture, graphic design and jewellery making. Marmala merged all the skills I learned in these creative outlets, so fashion became a natural pursuit.
The ethos
My philosophy is all about celebrating creativity and uniqueness. I like to play around with the tension between frills and edge, softness and boldness. I always follow my curiosity. My instincts are a big part of my philosophy; I don’t like having too much of a predefined idea of things, but rather, being open to any possibility.
Texture and materials play a huge role in my designs. That is why I like to source my fabrics locally. I like to go in to get a feel of all the different fabrics, as well as contribute to the local business. Creating volume and texture is a way for me to make my designs stand out. My mission is simply to create and to learn. I’m very new to sewing. I view every project as a challenge, which allows me to experiment and grow. I don’t view Marmala as a brand, but rather, a logbook to keep track of my progress.
My most popular items are my large frilly bags, which are adjustable and come in many different colours and strap widths. I have recently added a zip pocket inside the bag to make sure everything is kept safe.
I love my bags and I’m honoured when I get asked to make one, but I’m delighted when I get to design a custom piece for someone. This is when my creativity comes to life. I love coming up with new designs and challenging myself. I get excited picking out the perfect fabric and collaborating. Recently, I made a wedding guest dress for my friend Sinéad. It gave me the opportunity to learn new garment construction techniques.
The brands to know
I love anything from Paloma Wool. I also would love to buy myself a pair of Tabis. But mostly I shop on Vinted, searching for hours to find hidden gems. For fashion and design inspiration, I love following Miss Claire Sullivan, Erik Charlotte, Sylvia Solovyeva, Simone Rocha and Cecilie Bahnsen.
My best fashion purchase to date has been my new red square-toe Mary Jane shoes from Dr. Martens, I wear them every day.
I love Anne Rave Design, she makes beautiful woollen jumpers. Aine Elizabeth Design is amazing. I like her silk-structured skirt. My new friend, Martina Kocianova Jewellery, makes statement jewellery; her lip rings are very unique and I would love to get one. August Night is a big inspiration; her bags are amazing. I also admire Seolstudios for their love of weaving.
The logistics
Funding is still a concern for Marmala. I have a second job which takes up a lot of my time. I really hope that one day I can make fashion design my only job. That would allow me to really push myself creatively.
When starting out, I tried to only buy the necessities. I was lucky that my mum had a sewing machine at home. I also never bulk order fabrics, only buying as much as I need for each project. I would like to invest more money into getting good-quality clothing tags and an overlocker. My graphic design degree came in handy as I was able to design and set up my own website and create my own logo and branding.
The best business advice I’ve gotten has been ‘don’t wait until you’re an expert at something but rather learn as you go’.
My most useful learning since setting up Marmala has been seeing how much people want to see me succeed. The support from everyone has been overwhelming, not just from friends but even from people I have never met, always offering their skills and encouragement. I’m very grateful.
The legacy
I feel proud every time someone asks me to make a bag or commissions a custom design. I love seeing people connecting with my work. Being featured in magazines so early on has also been a huge milestone. Another proud moment was when CMAT liked one of my TikTok videos.
I want my brand to be remembered for celebrating individuality.
If I could have anyone wear my designs, it would be Chappell Roan. I love her theatrical, playful and dramatic style.
Photography by Leyla Ní Choimín, Ines Pesado and Marta Turalska.
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