By Marta Goldschmied Leads the Bad Girl of Denim Into the Temptation of Vinyl

Manufacturing

As of Wednesday, May 22, 2019

With a new brand but same rebellious spirit, Marta Goldschmied is ready to forge her own path in the apparel industry.

In February, the designer launched a new label called By Marta Goldschmied, a direct-to-consumer offering whose pieces rely primarily on vinyl fabric.

“Vinyl has always been attached to the misfits and taking something that is undesirable and making it desirable. That is the reason our slogan is, ‘One man’s trash is the next woman’s treasure,’” Goldschmied explained. “That is a metaphor for my life—having a horrible situation and making something beautiful out of it.”

Despite her desire to design independently, Goldschmied’s latest project remains a family affair. After Goldschmied explained her fashion concept to her father, denim guru Adriano Goldschmied, he developed a vinyl fabric through his Los Angeles-based development organization House of Gold, which has relationships with mills in China where the textile was created.

Her sister, Glenda, creates the company’s graphics, and a group of close friends make up a large portion of the designer’s six-person office team in Los Angeles’ Arts District. She also relies on her customers as an integral part of her work family, using their feedback to design.

“The girls that shop with me, I know everything about them. We share skin-care tips, breakups, boy stories—it doesn’t have to be so clothing related,” she said. “We have these personal relationships through social media, so I talk with girls from Canada, L.A., New York and Japan. I wanted to acknowledge everything they brought to my attention.”

By Marta Goldschmied doesn’t follow the fashion calendar, opting instead for regular drops every few months. With each new collection, the entire approach, from fabrics and style to packaging changes, can take on a new look. “As my mood changes, we change the theme and packaging,” she said. “The box and everything changes.”

From a desire to create a more perfect vinyl pant, Goldschmied’s first collection, named Garbage, grew into halter tops, biker shorts with zippers and a leather-style jacket with buckles. All are manufactured with the same fabrication. The collection also includes hoodies and graphic T-shirts that reflect a bad-girl attitude.

This week, By Marta Goldschmied released the final installment of its first collection, a third iteration called Garbage III.

Throughout the entire process of launching this initial chapter of By Marta Goldschmied, the designer’s focus was to not only venture out on her own but to also include women of all backgrounds and sizes. The clothing is offered from sizes 24 to 32, while oversized T-shirts range from sizes small to large, a cut that is so big it can be worn as a dress, Goldschmied said.

Production for By Marta Goldschmied is done in Bali at a factory with ethical standards that provides fair wages and safe working conditions.

Next phase

In July, Goldschmied will drop the Vacant collection. It is inspired by ’90s feminine grunge, with influences from the movie “Thelma and Louise.”

The styles in this collection will be completely different from the last three drops and will also include denim. As the daughter of a denim guru, this “Bad Girl of Denim” couldn’t completely stay away from the allure of the fabric that has been her family’s legacy.

“Vacant is my most favorite collection I ever designed. There is vinyl. There is denim, and there is thermal,” Goldschmied said. “We’re not tied down to being just vinyl or just denim. We could do a whole drop that is just lace. You never know with us.”

By Marta Goldschmied was launched as a direct-to-consumer brand, but the designer is open to exploring a future retail presence. She hopes to have a branded boutique in Los Angeles, expanding beyond clothing into lifestyle offerings. She is testing the retail climate by partnering with Rich Joe, a 1,500-square-foot upscale streetwear shop in Glendale, Calif.’s The Americana at Brand.

“It’s not just about the clothes or business to business. It’s about lifestyle and female empowerment,” said Joe Cohen, owner of Rich Joe. During a preview shared with his most loyal clients, he received a positive response to the line, especially for the leather-style jacket and biker shorts.

“We have a lot of creatives who shop in our store, and a lot of them are interested in one day doing their own collections,” he said. “Marta empowers women to pursue their dreams through creative design and fashion.”

Goldschmied’s intention for her line was to create premium quality at a lower cost. Currently her prices range from $69 to $269. The collection is available at Rich Joe and online at www.bymartagoldschmied.com.

Photos by Aldo Carrera