Marisa Clark | Top 40 Under 40 2024

She fights fast fashion through mindfully made clothing and represents Calgary’s design scene on the global stage.

Photo by Jared Sych. Location: Centennial Place.

Age: 32

Occupation: Fashion Designer and founder, Faun Studio

Prior to starting her own clothing company, Marisa Clark worked for NGOs, contacting businesses and encouraging them to adopt more ethical strategies, often with disappointing results. “I was inspired to create a business of my own that actually incorporated the practices I wanted to see,” she says.

That business is Faun Studio, which Clark founded in 2018. With her NGO background, she was well aware of how the fashion industry is bursting at its seams with unethical practices, and extreme waste, unsafe labour conditions and harmful micro-trends, but Clark has worked hard to run her company differently. She uses deadstock fabrics and sustainable textiles made from materials like cotton and hemp, works with certified ethical factories in Vietnam and Hong Kong, and hires local talent for photoshoots. “I wanted to do something that made changes along every level of the supply chain,” she says.

Beyond her mindful manufacturing and marketing, Clark partners with Patti Falconer modelling agency annually to raise money for the Tom Baker Cancer Centre, donates spare inventory to Making Changes and volunteers as a personal stylist for My Best Friend’s Closet.

Of course, in fashion, looks matter, too. Clark’s products (think citrus-printed linen shirts, floral-splashed polos and blue shell checkered pants) challenge minimalist design, but lean into minimal consumerism. Faun Studio’s bold prints and cheeky colour blocking have earned praise from Vanity Fair, Forbes and Vogue Korea and Mexico, and taken on the runways at Paris, Milan and New York Fashion Weeks. There’s no gatekeeping here, either — Clark’s ultimate goal is to educate other small brands and share all she’s learned. “I want to create an international network of ethical producers and help other aspiring designers do something similar,” she says.

Thank yous
“My late mom and brother who inspire me to find joy in every situation and make the most of my time on earth; my dad and boyfriend for supporting me through everything.”

 

Top 40 Under 40 2024

Eluvier Acosta & Juan Castillo

Pierre Billon

Mackenzie Kamâmak Brown

Ian Cantelo

Marisa Clark

CONTRA

Mary Jansen Dunbar

Marcie Hawranik

Michelle Hoogveld

Kelle Hurd

Jennifer Jackson

Tracy Johnson

Nketti Johnston-Taylor

Eva Kiefer

Andrew Kim

Michael Kryshtalskyj

Dallin Laycock

Quan Ly

Allison Lynch

Nadia Maarouf

Joseph MacDonald

Meg Martin

Amy Matychuk

Lucas McCarthy

Jana McDonald

Robert Miller

Jamie Parker & Mike Wenzlawe

Nabeel Peermohamed

Chris Powell & Travis Powell

Alex Putici

Roman Rabinovich

Jason Ribeiro

Sarah Rieger

Andrew Sedor

Paul Shumlich

Apoorv Sinha

Anna Skrzypek

Lili Yas Tayefi

Josh Traptow

Tim Ward

Learn more about the people and organizations moving Calgary forward with Avenue's Innovation Newsletter.

This article appears in the November 2024 issue of Avenue Calgary.

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