Esteban: Let’s begin with the basics. Give us a brief introduction—who you are, a little about the brand, and how everything got started.
Maral: The company was founded in 1985 by my father and his brothers. So it’s been around for quite a while. I’ve been working in the company for more than eight years now. When I started, I was still studying. The marketing manager had just left, so I started helping part-time. I always knew I wanted to work here eventually, but my plan was to study, work at another company first, and then come to ARMA.
But once I started helping during my studies, my involvement grew. Slowly, I became so immersed in the company that leaving didn’t feel like an option anymore. I decided to continue full-time straight after graduation.
A few years later, my brother joined as well. Once we were both working in the company, it became clear that we were the next generation to lead. We worked alongside our father at first, but over time, he began to step back and give us more leadership responsibility.
Today, I lead the creative side of the business—the design and marketing teams. I’m responsible for building collections with our design team and guiding the brand’s vision and communication. My brother oversees the broader operations—sales, production, logistics. Together with our management team, we make sure the company runs smoothly. ARMA is a leather specialist. Leather garments are at the heart of what we do.
Esteban: Got it. So let’s talk about how the brand has evolved. What’s changed from 20 years ago to now?
Maral: Originally, ARMA was much more of a product-focused company than a brand. When it started, people would come to the office, choose from a few leather jackets, and place large orders—100 or 200 pieces. The business was transactional. There wasn’t much storytelling or brand identity involved. Back then, leather sourcing was also done differently. But over time, especially from the early 2000s to around 2010, we saw that customers wanted more than just good product. They wanted a connection—a reason to buy beyond utility. That’s when the brand side of the business started to develop.
My father had a broader, less defined vision—since we only worked with leather, he wanted to cater to everyone. That meant luxury pieces, commercial pieces, a wide range all within one collection. But this created confusion. There wasn’t a clear identity. We didn’t know who we were speaking to.
When my brother and I joined, we realized that in some countries we were seen as a luxury brand, while in the Netherlands we were more commercial. It didn’t add up. That’s when we made a strategic decision: split the business into two brands.
We positioned ARMA as the premium brand, and we launched a new, more commercially focused brand—STUDIO AR. STUDIO AR focuses exclusively on women’s wear. ARMA continues to offer both men’s and women’s collections.
Esteban: So ARMA transitioned from B2B to a more brand-driven B2C model?
Maral: Exactly. My father didn’t place much value on marketing. His belief was that if you made a good product, it would sell itself. But when we joined, we knew that wasn’t enough. We needed to invest in marketing and communication.
We built a larger marketing team, expanded into PR, created content, grew our Instagram presence. We still hold quality as a non-negotiable, but now we also focus on telling people what we stand for.
Esteban: And when you launched STUDIO AR, what was the first move strategically?
Maral: The first step was developing a full brand profile—who STUDIO AR is, the customer we’re targeting, and the direction of the collection. We built it from scratch.
Then we finalized both collections and introduced them separately. It was a delicate process. Some existing customers were looking for products that weren’t in the ARMA collection anymore. So we introduced them to the other one. But the shift happened organically. We didn’t push too hard.
In fact, the customer split happened very naturally. The more commercial customers gravitated toward STUDIO AR, while the luxury-focused customers remained loyal to ARMA.
Esteban: What are the key differences between the two brands in terms of design and pricing?
Maral: STUDIO AR is trend-driven and more accessibly priced. The customer wants bold, current pieces. ARMA is more minimal, timeless, and positioned at a higher price point.
Esteban: Managing two different businesses must be a challenge. How do you keep it all running?
Maral: It’s a lot. But we have a strong team. Around 35 people in our main office, and a team of six in Germany focused on sales in the DACH region. Clarity is key. We know who our customers are. We listen to feedback. I attend showroom appointments, I’m on the ground listening to what’s selling, what isn’t, and what people are asking for. That insight feeds into our collections. It’s a constant cycle of listening and creating.
Esteban: And geographically, where are the two brands strongest?
Maral: ARMA is strongest in the DACH region and Italy, but we’re expanding immensly in the US as well as our homecountry The Netherlands. STUDIO AR, however, has grown rapidly in the Netherlands and is expanding into Germany and Italy through local agents. It’s only five years old, so there’s a lot of room for growth.
Esteban: What principle has been most essential to ARMA’s long-term success?
Maral: Quality and price. My father instilled that in us from day one. We offer high-quality leather at fair, realistic prices. We’re not low priced, but we’re not inflated either. People are often surprised by the quality they get for the price.
We also innovate constantly with leather. Every season, we introduce new leather qualities—different finishes, treatments, techniques. That innovation keeps us ahead.
Esteban: And how do you consistently maintain those standards?
Maral: We own our own factory, so we control a big part of our production process. That helps us keep costs down and quality high. Also, my father has an incredible network in the leather world. He’s respected, and suppliers come to us first with new developments.
Esteban: What’s been the hardest part of the transition—business-wise?
Maral: Evolving the ARMA brand without scaring away customers. We couldn’t rebrand overnight. It had to be a slow, intentional shift. The same went for launching STUDIO AR. We didn’t go all in with advertising from day one—we let the brand grow organically. Once we saw results, we invested more.
Esteban: And how did you manage that launch internally?
Maral: We didn’t hire anyone new at first. We shifted responsibilities internally. Our systems and warehouse were already in place, so it was mostly a matter of reallocating team members. As STUDIO AR grew, we hired a dedicated designer, a product manager, and a marketing lead for that brand.
Esteban: What are you most proud of today?
Maral: That both brands are successful. That ARMA has evolved into a premium, contemporary label. That STUDIO AR has its own clear identity. And that we’ve built a supportive, talented team. That means a lot.
Esteban: As a designer, what excites you most?
Maral: Constantly pushing boundaries with leather. We experiment with textures, techniques, finishes—anything that surprises and delights. That’s my biggest creative focus.
Esteban: Are you thinking more about customer needs or personal vision when designing?
Maral: Both. But I always start with the customer. How can we impress them? How can we give them something they didn’t know they wanted? That’s the challenge and the fun.
Esteban: And what’s changed in your customer base as you’ve grown internationally?
Maral: We’ve started attracting our dream retailers—Le Bon Marché in Paris, Harrods in the UK and Moda Operandi in the US. The product speaks for itself. And we’ve stayed consistent, so the right customers find us, whether they’re in Europe, Asia, or the U.S.
Esteban: What are the pros and cons of managing two brands?
Maral: The con: it’s more complex. Twice the decision-making, twice the communication. But the pro is reach. We can serve very different customers, expand further, and get inspired in two very different ways. And that’s creatively fulfilling.
Esteban: If you could go back in time, what’s something you wish you’d understood earlier?
Maral: That every part of the value chain has to succeed—our suppliers, our customers, and us. It’s not just about pushing people to meet your needs. You have to support each other. That’s how you build something sustainable.
Esteban: That’s a perfect note to end on. Thank you, Maral. This has been incredibly insightful. We’ll send over the files and keep you posted. And if you ever need investor support, let me know—I’ve got a strong network.
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