Karen Marley knows how to create ambience.
Draped in an unstructured charcoal gray dress while perched in a cane-back dining chair in her Los Angeles home, the daughter of legendary reggae musician Bob Marley is surrounded by earthy objects like smooth, asymmetrical carved sculptures and a handmade oblong wooden tray as she discusses her creative inspirations. A large candle flickers in an amber jar on the dining table below a black-and-white painting of her father. Everything feels casual yet sophisticated, especially when animated by Marley’s welcoming demeanor and relaxed confidence.
“My father cared deeply for our planet — the people and everything else within it,” she reflects about the cultural icon, who died when she was 8 years old. “His sense of style was relaxed and laid-back, and in essence, the origin for my easy, conscious style.”
Marley is now sharing her similarly sartorial sensibility with By Karen Marley, a clothing brand she launched on International Women’s Day in March. “It’s what I would call conscious casual,” she says. Her tightly edited collection features easy-to-wear staples, and Marley’s style is well matched to the post-pandemic impulse to keep embracing the comfort found in unfussy clothing. Think: black and autumnal-colored stretchy knitwear, such as wide-legged pants, ruched dresses, and crop blouses. Plus, she makes a range of outerwear constructed out of handmade African mudcloth and has a linen collection in the works.
A multidisciplinary creative who has worked as an interior designer and partnered on projects for her sister Cedella’s clothing company, including helping to design uniforms for Jamaica’s Olympic teams, Marley is using her new clothing line to advance an inclusive, eco-friendly point of view. “The fabrics I chose are all sustainable,” she explains of her materials, such as carefully sourced bamboo and cotton stretch French terry blends. For less impact on the environment, Marley purchases offcuts and uses dead stock when possible rather than buying larger quantities. She also forgoes shopping bags altogether. “I don’t use them,” she says. “It’s a waste.”
Much of her inspiration comes from her family and heritage. She grew up in Jamaica with her great-grandparents, then moved in with her stepmother Rita Marley and five of her siblings. “My maternal figures have guided me,” Marley says. “I idolized my great-grandmother Lillian, who had a great sense of personal style.” She also cites Rita’s affinity for African and Jamaican culture as well as “her attention to self-care and self-love" as big influences.
Despite an unrivaled ancestry, Marley isn’t merely a figurehead for her clothing brand. She maintains control over every step of the process, including regularly visiting the manufacturing facility in downtown L.A. to ensure working conditions are fair and safe. For her jackets and coats made of hand-dyed blue mudcloth emblazoned with traditional patterns from Mali, Marley partners with a friend who has a direct connection to the makers in Africa, helping to support female micro-entrepreneurs who are experts in keeping this specialized craft alive.
Given that she’s not a formally trained clothing designer, Marley collaborates with a design assistant who translates her concepts into patterns, as well as with a small team who create samples tweaked to her specifications. She’s her ultimate critic — and target customer. “I have to want to wear it,” she says. (One of the biggest challenges, she notes, is using colors other than black, a staple of her wardrobe.)
Marley’s personal love of travel is also a major inspiration for what and how she designs. When planning for her forthcoming linen pieces, “I had this idea of vacation in mind,” says Marley, who lived in London for a few years before relocating to L.A. about two decades ago with her now-grown son. “It [should be] easy to pack,” she says. “When I was packing for Bali, I got there, and I didn’t need half the stuff.”
Marley describes the overall concept and mission of her brand as “more laid-back, more chill. I don’t like too much drama.” Given the upheaval of the past two years, it’s a concept everyone can appreciate. “I love fashion, but I wouldn’t necessarily call what I’m doing that,” she reveals. “I know I’ve been guilty in the past of buying fast fashion, and what do I do? I throw it out.” To that end, By Karen Marley won’t be seasonally feeding the fashion beast. Instead, she plans to release new items at an organic pace when both the muse and production capabilities allow.
At its core, By Karen Marley personifies her personal aesthetic. “It’s about me and my art, and wanting people to catch my vibe,” she says, punctuating those last three words in a self-deprecating, semi-sarcastic tone before breaking out into a hearty laugh. With her infectious energy and comfortable style, Marley’s vibe is quite the catch.
Jessica Ritz is a Los Angeles-based writer who has contributed to Architectural Digest, Bon Appétit, Coasting Living, Los Angeles Times, Palm Springs Life, and Los Angeles magazine. Follow her on Twitter @jessnritz.
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