Marta Handrich looks to fashion, film and literature for a visual vocabulary that values longevity over novelty.
Marta Handrich no longer shops for clothes the way she used to. In recent years, she has become more discerning, moving away from the constant pursuit of something new. Instead, she looks for well-made pieces that can remain in her wardrobe regardless of the season. “Buy less, but buy better,” she says.
Handrich is currently based in Valencia, where she works across several areas of fashion. Alongside her older sister, she runs a creative communications agency and also teaches styling to undergraduate students at a design school.
Read more: The Long Game
Among her main references are some of the most influential names in fashion history. She is drawn to Saint Laurent and Coco Chanel for the way they developed such distinctive yet enduring ideas of femininity. In a different direction, Handrich also follows designers who bring something less predictable to their work. John Galliano stands out to her for his imagination, JW Anderson for his intelligence and sense of humor, while she closely follows Hedi Slimane’s work.
Fashion, however, is far from her only source of inspiration. Film is also an important part of her visual vocabulary, with the work of Francis Ford Coppola, Woody Allen, Luchino Visconti, Roman Polanski and Alfred Hitchcock among the films and directors she returns to. She is also drawn to the interiors in Nancy Meyers’ films and the photography of Slim Aarons.
For Handrich, developing a broad visual vocabulary is an essential part of working in fashion, and she believes it is important not to rely exclusively on what appears on social media. Films, books, photography, interiors, art and travel all become part of that repertoire, shaped by everything she has seen and absorbed over the years. The more varied and distinctive those references are, the more personal the way of combining them can become.
In her current wardrobe, this search for longevity comes through in brands such as The Row and Toteme, which Handrich associates with an understated, refined approach that is less dependent on trends. For accessories, she cites Polène and DeMellier, brands she also works with regularly, while Arket is among her go-to choices for everyday basics.
It is mainly through accessories that Handrich likes to mix new and old pieces. On Vinted, she looks for secondhand finds with personality, pieces that feel unexpected and can shift the character of a wardrobe built around simpler foundations.
For Handrich, the appeal lies in finding a balance between investment pieces that stand the test of time, reliable everyday basics and unexpected vintage discoveries.
Photos: courtesey of Marta Handrich