S05 Episode 223 | MAGGIE MARILYN ON TRANSPARENCY, RESPONSIBILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY + THE NEED TO ALIGN VALUES WITH BUSINESS MODELS

In episode 223, Kestrel welcomes Maggie Hewitt, the founder and designer behind Maggie Marilyn, to the show. Made in New Zealand, Maggie Marilyn is working toward a more transparent, circular, regenerative and inclusive fashion industry.

“Really the biggest achievement of all to-date was making this sort of bold decision to pivot our business model to operate entirely direct-to-consumer, and I think really now — our values and our business model actually align.”
-Maggie Hewitt, Founder + Designer of Maggie Marilyn

On this week’s show, Maggie shares more on what led her to build a fashion brand that places sustainability at its core. She also explains more of how over the last five years, they realized as a brand, that in order to move forward with their focus of transparency, circularity, regeneration and inclusivity, they had to transform their business model to align with those values — which, for Maggie Marilyn, meant shifting away from wholesale and functioning entirely as a direct-to-consumer brand.

Maggie and Kestrel also dive into ideas around transparency, responsibility and accountability as a sustainable brand, and how Maggie Marilyn is pushing to truly hold themselves accountable when it comes to their statements.

The below thoughts, ideas + organizations were brought up in this chat:

• “Stylists Are Giving Sustainable Fashion New — and Aspirational — Appeal” in WWD

• “I think really the biggest achievement of all to-date was making this sort of bold decision to pivot our business model to operate entirely direct-to-consumer, and I think really now — our values and our business model actually align.”

• Coercive labour practices in Xinjiang, how Maggie Marilyn responded in their communication + actions

• All revolutions have always started at a grassroots level, and so I think that consumers really need to know that they hold so much power in transitioning our industry into one that is sustainable for the future. You know, it’s a tagline that we use a lot that we really believe everyone has the power to change the world, so yeah — ask more questions.” -Maggie

• Maggie Marilyn’s Diversity and Inclusion Policy

• Maggie Marilyn’s Sustainability Strategy

• Follow Maggie Marilyn on Instagram >

Thanks to this week's sponsor TEN/TEN — an exclusive collection of ten one-of-a-kind engagement rings, designed by ten of the most distinctive designers working today. Using only diamonds responsibly sourced from Botswana, ten design masters have each produced a uniquely beautiful commitment ring. Learn more at BlueNile.com >