interview | marcell pustul

Marcell Pustul wholeheartedly believes that his hardships have made him stronger. As he bounces back from the abrupt closure of his first brand, MARCELL VON BERLIN (MVB), in October 2022, the Polish designer tells Schön!: “For me, this is kind of a transition into something healthier. I’m a very spiritual person and believe that things happen for a reason.” And though losing his brand was shocking, he chose to view it through a positive lens, focusing on a relaunch honouring his supporters.

His new brand, MARCELL__’s first campaign, ‘I BELIEVE IN MARCELL’, celebrates community and friendship. Featuring Pustul’s close friends, partners, and clients—including distinguished artists, Kelvyn Colt, Iconika, Queen Herby, MAAD and Prince Carter—the campaign focuses on rebirth. As Pustul starts to reclaim his place in the fashion industry, he wants his brand to be a place of self-expression, responsibility, and love.

Chatting with Schön!, Pustul details starting fresh with MARCELL__, his vision for the brand, and what we can expect to see in his debut collection.

After the untimely closure of MARCELL VON BERLIN, was it difficult to leave your previous work behind to start fresh with your new brand, MARCELL__?

Initially, it was heartbreaking and shocking, as someone had just cancelled 12 years of my hard work and legacy. Then I was standing in front of a choice, [either I] just give up and get a job at another brand or I stand up and fight for my future and immediately start over again. I was lucky enough to meet my life coach Vivace Maxvictor, who changed my life and point of view. Instead of being a victim, I’ve programmed myself to be the winner in this situation. Without Vivace, my friends’ support, and my stubbornness, I wouldn’t be able to regenerate that quickly. I needed to get back on track immediately as my brand has been my whole life and my way of functioning—working as a designer.

But after everything that has happened to me, I will definitely be better than before, I will have control of my own brand. The greatest lesson for me was to always make sure I stay in control of my own brand—I had given away 70% of MARCELL VON BERLIN and that was a big mistake. Another important conclusion for me was that the community and real fan base are so important, without them I wouldn’t be where I am now. The brand is gone, but the community has stayed with me and is ready to explore the unknown. Everyone is supporting me and looking forward to the relaunch. Having said all that, for me, this is kind of a transition into something healthier. I’m a very spiritual person and believe that things happen for a reason.

What challenges did you face when developing this new brand?

Honestly, there weren’t many challenges in the process, actually [it was] the opposite. The process of brand building is something well known to me as I created MVB from scratch and was present during every stage, so I have the know-how, vision, and network to execute it. The only problematic and time-consuming stage has been getting the financial investment as the process of decision-making and negotiations generate quite a lot of back-and-forth communication with potential partners. However, this is sort of a positive problem as we have a few serious candidates and it is natural that making such a decision is taking longer. I want to make this decision carefully as the new partners have to be able to add more value to the brand, rather than just money. We are also looking for someone offering expertise and being able to help us grow. Having Patrycja Szklarczyk [newly appointed Brand Director and former Business Development Director at MVB] on my side—who has been helping me from day one to build the new company—is a huge support and motivation.

What are your hopes for MARCELL__?

There are no hopes, there is a clear message and a real plan—[to become] a brand with a responsibility to the world, who cares a lot for the community and gives the love back. I have more than 12 years of experience in the industry, so I know where I want to be. I hope this will make MARCELL__stand out compared to other brands. I believe the universe has already given me the hard lesson and from now on, the future of my brand is bright.

How has this experience helped you grow as a person and designer?

It was not easy for me, I went through an intense personal journey and healing process. I’m very grateful that I met Vivace Maxvictor, who changed my entire life. I definitely have more self-worth than ever before—and self-love—and now I am ready to share the love with others. This situation also showed me the value of real relationships. My social circle has been limited significantly. Some people just disappeared, some I’ve had to cut to clear the space. I realised that having too many voices and opinions around you doesn’t help. It creates too much noise and you are unable to hear your own thoughts and execute your own vision.

What does “I BELIEVE IN MARCELL” mean to you? Where did the inspiration for the campaign and video come from?

We were discussing one day with Pat [Patrycja Szklarczyk] how to create the campaign out of nothing before the launch of the new brand. It was literally nothing. We had almost no budget, almost no clothes, and only a huge amount of good energy and friends we could call to convince them to be part of something—a personal project, not really a campaign.

The idea appeared kind of naturally and created a lot of excitement. And you know what? A production process without money is actually less stressful and more fluid. No expectations, pure freedom, and that is why results are so beautiful and natural. We portrayed the community as it is—without much styling and makeup—shooting on the streets of LA and around friends’ houses. I am touched by the reaction of my community and the kindness they showed. Most of them are big talents and it is thrilling that they decided to show up and take part in my project.

Why was it important for the campaign to move away from fashion and shift focus to real people instead?

I wanted to show that not only fashion ideas matter, not only creating a dreamy reality matters in the fashion industry, but the value lies in the real people identifying personally with your vision. You create for the people and they trust you as a designer. It comes with responsibility, at least for me. I want them to feel uplifted wearing my pieces. Therefore, my new brand will be about and for the community, as they make you who you are. I would love to give a chance to others to express [themselves] through my pieces, to open the brand to the evolution and influence of other creators and talents and to use the power of collaboration. Let’s use my new brand as a canvas and fill it with emotions and ideas.

How does having your close friends, partners, and clients participate in the campaign represent the brand’s values?

Their personalities inspire me to create daily. Therefore, I wanted to give back to them and celebrate their talents and beautiful souls. I have always considered my brand as a platform for uncategorised and unlimited expression and these characters are embodying these values for me.

What meaningful messages can customers find on your T-shirts? Can you elaborate on what they mean to you?

The idea of T-shirts was born as a kind of personal cleansing from the past because it is crucial not to look back when you are in the process of rebuilding and healing. You have to summarise the past and draw conclusions, but not stay there too long. I’ve sort of written messages on T-shirts for myself. By sharing them with a wider audience, I can share the motivation to be brave and never give up, no matter what challenges one is facing. You can’t change the past, but you can change the future. You can choose and interpret the messages yourself. For me, they refer to different phases of regeneration.

Don’t look back. Be here now.
The art of healing
What is coming is better than what is gone

Other than T-shirts, what styles and silhouettes can we expect to see in your debut collection? Are there any key fabrics or colours?

I’m definitely focused on tailoring. Best-selling suits are coming back in new colourways and more refined shapes. Each collection will be an evolution of tailoring. We are using fine wools with elastic add-ons, therefore, our suits fit all body types perfectly. We are working on new bag shapes, shoes, and sunglasses. Furthermore, I am designing knit bodycon dresses and bodysuits.

We will be taking more responsibility for fabric choices and aim to avoid overproduction by reacting to the real market demand. There will be some pieces in the new collection which will be made from recycled products and we are considering upcycling models for tailoring.

For the first season, we will focus on introducing womenswear to the market and menswear will follow, launching at the end of 2024.

Are you excited for your debut collection to premiere at New York Fashion Week next year? How do you hope it will be received by critics and consumers alike?

The first show will be very simple and will be the final cleansing of the past and the first big step to a brighter future. I can’t say too much as I want it to be a surprise. But, this will be an immersion in love, hope, and joy, and I hope everyone will feel included and welcome in my new chapter.