Meet Mara McGinley | Founder & Designer, MARA THE LABEL

We had the good fortune of connecting with Mara McGinley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Mara, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?

I’ve always been obsessed with design and was very interested in fashion most of my life from trends to vintage to editorial spreads in magazines. I studied design in college and was able to attend a semester abroad in London at Central Saint Martins. Once I got back I had a different viewpoint on design and took a course in sustainable design. It really broadened my viewpoint on design and fashion. I was intrigued how fashion can offer sustainable options through materials and manufacturing since there is a lot of waste in the industry.

The idea of starting a sustainable fashion business came to me while sitting in a coffee shop in San Francisco dreaming up what my dream career would be if I could do anything. Once it clicked, I knew it was what I wanted to do and I enrolled in fashion design school. I learned all the steps of how to build a fashion brand from the ground up. I wanted to create dreamy silhouettes that made the customer feel their best. I’ve built most of my collections around silk, viscose, linen and deadstock fabric. My collections are made in Los Angeles in small batches to reduce overproduction.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?

I like creating a bit of fantasy and lacing it into my designs. I love dreaming up a story and creating collections around it through silhouettes and textiles. I’ve always been drawn to 70s fashion and love the exaggeration and vibrancy of it.

I am most proud of building a sustainable fashion brand in LA through developing work relationships and cultivating community. I gravitate towards using prints and silk to embody elegant silhouettes that drape well and add ease to your wardrobe.

I’ve had my brand for almost 2 years. It took a couple years of building the brand and first collection before launching. I worked on fit and patterns that I wanted to use as staples for the wardrobe. It definitely wasn’t easy, at first it was some trial and error. I was also simultaneously working for a company full-time so I had to carefully manage my time. I overcame some challenges through correcting the problem, learning to be more patient and persistent.

One of the bigger lessons I’ve learned is how important it is to be confident in your vision and to not be afraid to put it out in the world. Once you do, you begin meeting more people that are into similar things and your world expands.

I want the world to know that my brand is intended to uplift people, be sustainable and develop pieces that help you feel your best. Mara means the sea in Gaelic and it’s in the ethos of the brand to feel the free-spirited nature of being at the ocean.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

I would take them to the ocean. I love driving out to Malibu even though it’s far from my place on the Eastside, but the views and peace are worth it. We would go for a hike or sit at the beach, then head to Malibu Farm for an afternoon coffee and lunch.

For a day on the Eastside: In the morning I would take them to coffee at La Colombe and head to Wax Paper for a tasty sandwich after. For dinner, I would take them to Salazar in Frogtown. It has the best layout, open air and really good Mexican food and drinks. Then we would go next door to a show at Zebulon where they have live music and great outdoor seating.

For a night out in Venice I would take them for a glass of wine at Only the Wild Ones. They have organic wine, music and a nice vibe. In Mar Vista, I would take them to Shop Morpheus. It’s a really cute boutique, that was specially designed for the space. The shop focuses on carrying local designers and my brand is sold there as well. Across the street, I would take them to this cute, French restaurant called Atmosphere.

In the Arts District, I would take them to Blue Bottle for coffee, followed by Zinc for brunch. The outdoor seating is really great there and it’s a relaxing way to spend an afternoon. For dinner, I would take them to Bavel. The food is incredible and atmosphere amazing too with the high ceilings and plants. Then we can head to the Ace Hotel for a show or the rooftop for a DJ set in Downtown LA.

For a DTLA morning we could pop by coffee favorite, No Ghost Bears, owned by a fellow designer and her husband. Then pop to my absolute favorite, Boheme Yoga, owned by Vivian. It’s such a great environment with so many great yoga and pilates instructors.

Following a busy weekend, we could head to the Silverlake Reservoir and do a couple loops with a coffee from La Mil followed by a healthy bite at Little Pine.

Those are some of my favorite places in LA. There are honestly so many great things in this city!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve been fortunate enough to have many people along the way that have offered support, community and encouragement. I sell my product at a boutique in Mar Vista called Shop Morpheus and the owner, Sarah has been incredibly helpful from organizing pop-up events for vendors to retailing my brand in her store. My production team has been awesome to work with as well and I love going into the office there to coordinate my designs and do fittings with the team. I have several other friends who have their own fashion brands, and being able to have that support to coordinate events, share ideas and offer encouragement has been instrumental. My friend, Emily has taken a lot of photos for the brand and really helped bring a lot of my visions to life with her creativity. And of course my family has been a huge support system and my friends have been really supportive from going to events to being the first to buy my designs and offering words of encouragement, along with feedback. Last, but not least- my dog, who will never see this, but offers so much emotional support.

Website: maralabel.com

Instagram: mara_the_label

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marathelabel

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BqVf9KA7ldU

Image Credits
Image credits: Emily Cummings Image credits: Miami Swim Week