orrinze Marshall grew up in Nigeria in a household of five boys. The fourth child in a row, he was always known as the fashion brother.
“My love for fashion stems from when I was a child,” says Marshall. “My mum always said I was as fashionable as my dad, which was special since he passed away when I was just 10.”
After studying microbiology in college while simultaneously modeling and hitting the runways outside of the classroom, Marshall immigrated from Nigeria to Houston in 2016, where he met his wife—a native Houstonian.
“Houston is a part of me,” Marshall notes. “I have embraced the city as much as it has embraced me. It has always felt like a hometown to me. And, if you look around the city, it’s a good environment for entrepreneurs. There are a lot of small businesses, startups and nice restaurants. Houston is rapidly expanding beyond oil, gas and healthcare.”
So it makes sense that when it came time for Marshall to launch his new luxury fashion label, he wanted to launch it in his Texas backyard.
Inspiration
“I’ve always liked to draw and I’ve always liked design,” says Marshall. “A few years ago, I was going through a really tough time. Sketching bags was an escape for me. The more I designed the bags, the more I wanted to see them come to life.”
Earlier this year, Marshall got his wish and officially started his label, Arinze Marshall. Marshall has been extremely intentional in every part of the process, incorporating culture, history and even his native language into the fabric of the brand. Specifically, Arinze Marshall’s logo comes from his birth tribe (the Igbo tribe) and reflects how the tribe spells “king” using its unique written Nsibidi alphabet.
Although the brand is based in Houston and incorporates a lot of Marshalls heritage, it places a strong emphasis on diversity and inclusion. His products ship nationwide and he has global aspirations.
“I want every fashionable person to be able to be a part of this brand,” says Marshall. “That’s one of the reasons I didn’t just stick to traditional African prints or fabrics. I want everyone to get involved and be a part of it.”
The Maiden collection debuted this year with two bags, the Oma (“beautiful” in Igbo language) bag available in nude and red and the Echiche (“thought” in Igbo) bag available in black and green. This collection has a strong emphasis on craftsmanship, design and thought, as evidenced by the name of the Echiche bag. Marshall says his main priority with this first collection was to show customers that he is ready to offer high-quality products, with an emphasis on quality in everything from the stitching to the materials to the hardware.
Spring 2023 Collection
When it comes to what’s next for Arinze Marshall, Marshall is gearing up to launch its next collection in time for Spring 2023. The collection is slated to include a variety of other items, including backpacks, wallets, purses, and more.
“There will be something for everyone in this upcoming collection,” promises Marshall. “My dream is to bring everyone – regardless of background or style – into one home. We all tell different stories and I want this collection to encapsulate that.”
As for his competition, Marshall isn’t worried. He says he believes that as long as he puts quality, hard work and perseverance first, everything else will follow.
“There’s a saying in my culture – ‘in the sky, there’s room enough for all the birds to fly’ and that’s how I feel when it comes to fashion,” he says. “Just run your own race and don’t worry about anyone else.
“In the sky, there is enough space for all the stars to shine.”
For a closer look at all of Arinze Marshall’s offerings, check out her full site or follow her on Instagram.
