From voluminous gowns to luxuriously embellished dresses, Marco Marrero and Maria Díaz have paved their own lane in the haute couture bridal market. The designer duo opened their first atelier over three decades ago in 1990 in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, a costal port city located as part of the Canary Islands in Spain. After launching their first atelier, Marrero and Diaz founded the Marco & María brand. Their brand became fundamental to Tenerife Moda—platform council that promotes Santa Cruz de Tenerife’s fashion industry—and later expanded to having their own flagship store in Santa Cruz de Tenerife as well as their collections being available worldwide.
Now, Marco & María have embarked on a new journey with the launch of their “Los Paraisos Perdidos – which translates to The Lost Paradises – Collection, which premiered during New York Bridal Fashion Week. The new line of bespoke bridal wear contains six new exclusive designs entitled “Bora Bora,” “Molucas,” “Groenlandia,” “Vietnam,” “Cerdeña” and “Lombok.” Overall, the collection highlight’s the brand’s true-to-form decadent style and dedication to creating intricate handmade couture. The collection also marks a new start for the Marco & María brand, with the introduction of fresh structures and fabrics like silk taffeta while exquisite embroidery and intricate accessories, which further add to the collection’s allure.
Marco Marrero and Maria Díaz spoke with Fashion Mannuscript to share about the collection’s overall connection to their brand, their design process and more. In relation to how each piece aligns with the Marco & Maria brand altogether, the designers said, “Each dress has been created with exclusive embroidery, reflecting our commitment to craftsmanship and individuality. These embroideries not only embellish the pieces but also tell a story, a story that each bride can carry with her on her special day. We use high-quality fabrics and the handmade process that we follow in the making of each one of them is fundamental to our philosophy. Each garment is unique, made with love and dedication in our atelier in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain allowing each bride to feel that her dress is truly special and personal.” As for what the collection represents, the design duo stated, “In short, this new collection not only represents the evolution of our brand, but also reaffirms our commitment to quality, creativity, and the emotional connection that each dress can offer. We are looking forward to seeing how these pieces will resonate with our brides and how they will become part of their stories.”
Design-wise, Marrero and Díaz’s process is detailed and intricate and can best be described as–in their words–”a dance between experience and innovation.” They first start by brainstorm each new collection, with these fresh ideas often being inspired by cinema – one of Marrero and Diaz’s main passions – and allows these characters, stories and cinematic aesthetics to guide them in exploring various styles and emotions. While the two enjoy using their favorite fabrics such as tulle when designing new collections, they also like experimenting with new textures and materials, which not only challenges themselves and these new creations but also speaks to their belief in brand evolution.
Collaboration is also at the core of the Marco & María brand. “We firmly believe that designing a collection is a collective process, where each dress is part of a larger narrative. It’s not about creating isolated pieces, but about weaving a story that connects each design with a common thread,” said Marrero and Díaz. “Each season, our designers start with a central theme that inspires them. This can be an emotion, a cinematic moment or a particular aesthetic. From there, each dress is developed in relation to that story, making sure that all elements, from the fabrics to the details, contribute to the narrative they want to tell. This collaborative approach between our designers is essential. They work together daily to discuss ideas, share references and fine-tune each design, making sure that all the dresses complement each other. Thus, their collections not only celebrate the individuality of each bride, but also tell a cohesive story that transcends time and trends. 100% of our production is done in our workshop located in Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain. This not only allows us to have complete control over every stage of the process but also allows us to see the evolution of each piece day by day.”
As for their favorite dress from the new collection, that they cannot choose and for good reason. “We can’t pick a favorite dress from our collection, and that’s because each one of them has been created with a unique passion and dedication,” shared Marrero and Díaz. “For us, each dress is like a child: it has received time, attention and love at every stage of its development. From the initial conceptualization to the final details, each piece has its own story and essence. Each dress reflects not only our creative visions but also the dreams and desires of the brides who will wear it. The emotional connection we feel with each design is deep, and that makes them all special in their own way. Every time a bride chooses one of our dresses, we feel that piece come to life and become part of a bigger story. That’s why, instead of having a favorite, we celebrate the uniqueness of each creation and the joy it will bring to each bride on her special day. This is, without a doubt, the magic of what we do.”
