Seen sported by our favourite street stylers during Copenhagen Fashion Week and toted around the world by the very best tastemakers: This is Marmaclub
Marmaclub is the poorly kept secret of the Scandinavia style set.
Founded by mother-daughter duo Kirsti Øberg and Marie Guldberg in 2020, the brand's signature beaded bags have been spotted not only in the founders' native Oslo but also on the streets of Copenhagen and New York during the various fashion weeks. As a result, the Norwegian brand has grown exponentially, quickly becoming a firm favourite among the world's top tastemakers.
The brand's signature style fits into a multitude of wardrobes. From Marianne Theodorsen's eclectic and colourful closet – the Norwegian content creator paired her black and white fringe bag with a bright purple faux fur – to Sara Flaaen's minimalist look, where the green bag takes centre stage against a backdrop of sleek tailoring.
Content creator Marianne Theodorsen with a checkered Marmaclub bag. Photo: @mariannetheodorsen
Model Sara Flaaen during Copenhagen Fashion Week .
Pernille Rosenskilde with the orange checkered baguette bag.
Marmaclub's intricate handbags are built on the traditional Chaquira beadwork technique, which creative director Guldberg first came across when she moved to Mexico City. When Kristi Øberg visited her daughter in 2019, the idea behind the brand slowly began to sprout. "During that week when I visited, Marie made some preliminary designs. We contacted artisans we knew were selling beaded items and did a lot of investigations to see if this really could scale and decided to give it a try," Øberg says. Those designs led to the brand's best-selling fringed handbags. "Marie is a bohemian type," Øberg says. "She loves fringes and colours and wanted it to be a fun and playful experience."
"I have always known this was what Marie should do," continues Øberg, who quit her job at Microsoft to focus on growing the brand. "Ever since she was a child, she has been styling and mixing her bags, shoes, and clothes and always got compliments."
While Guldberg brought the creative vision, Øberg had the necessary business nous to make her daughter's passion project a successful venture. "I had built companies before and had the experience needed to make this happen," she says. "In our case, one plus one is so much more than two."
Working together is integral to Marmaclub's success. "Being mother and daughter living far apart gives all this work so much meaning. It goes far beyond work and being entrepreneurs," says Øberg. "It is about doing something together, working as a team."
Photo: Marmaclub
Photo: Marmaclub
From the very start Marmaclub has focused on socially conscious, sustainable fashion. Produced in Mexico and Guatemala, the brand's accessories are all handmade in Latin American artisan communities. "We are working through a government-based network where an exporter is the main contact for the artisans," says Øberg. "The exporter, in our case Carol, speaks English and knows the rules of how to pay and treat the artisans properly."
Each accessory is diligently hand-beaded with recyclable glass over a period of days by a professional craftsperson. The brand's eco-conscious production and products – now ranging from crochet bucket hats to handwoven embroidered huipil coats, in addition to the main collection of beaded bags – have resulted in a devoted fan base drawn to the brand for its social entrepreneurship, support of craftspeople and environmental focus. Marmaclub's latest venture is the launch of an innovative recycling programme for the beads used by the brand, as well as a partnership with fashion rental service Fjong.
But at its centre, Marmaclub is all about a merger of cultures and aesthetics. The brand is committed to supporting and sustaining artisans' work preserving the Chaquira beading technique and celebrating its cultural significance. "It's about slow, on-demand production, taking care of traditions, helping artisans build a life in their rural neighbourhoods," says Øberg. "It is fashion with meaning."