Every artist has a story. Andrea’s story takes place in New York City’s East Village. It starts the day she meets Marla. Actually, it starts before that. Andrea and Marla’s paths crossed many times previously, but only with a quick glance or uncomfortable yet familiar stare. The sightings increase when Andrea finds herself overwhelmingly inspired by a Warhol collaboration exhibit and starts to paint. Days go by, and she can’t stop painting. She fills blank canvases with color, stories, and energy. Marla begins to whisper. Andrea’s day job and life in New York temporarily silences Marla’s voice. But like any addiction, abstinence only makes the cravings intensify. After work, Marla creeps in again and Andrea paints. Andrea loses all sense of time and space when she works and Marla won’t stop – she is relentless. Then, Andrea is walking in the Garment District and sees a hand-snap press in a store window. She grabs it, runs home, rips a stretched canvas off its frame, and begins to cut. Marla is screaming. Andrea folds the canvas in half, snaps the sides together, and suddenly, Marla is silent. This is the precise moment that Andrea lets Marla in – the insatiable and relentless pursuit of fashion and art coming together through creative and functional perfection. With the first transformation from painting to bag, Marla is free, and Andrea can live her story.
Everyone has a story. And everyone has a Marla. Marla Cielo’s story begins in 2008. She was born from real experiences and endless imagination at the exact place where art and fashion meet. Marla is not one, but many, a collective subconscious. She is a feeling, an aura, a passion. She is an empowered urbanite inspired by autonomy, truth, and creativity. Marla is the dreamer and the dream, the woman and her story. Brought to life by artist Andrea Tobin, Marla is not a bag – she’s a way of life.
Each mural is backed with suede, woven on local NYC looms, and crafted into bags using high-end leather and hardware. The finished mural creates a limited run of 8-12 pieces, and all bags are manufactured by hand, no two Marla Cielo bags are identical.This unique manufacturing process exemplifies our ‘art as fashion’ ethos and provides something truly exclusive to each owner.
Journal Silver Wristlet
Tartan Cruise Tote
Tartan Cruise ipad Bag
Purple Heart Cross Body Clutch
all photos: thomas mendes photography | www.tommendes.com
www.marlacielo.com 203 east 13th nyc | 917.570.7567 andrea@marlacielo.com