I first noticed the Marius & India brand in the summer of 2023, right around the time they were launched. What immediately drew my attention was the vibrant and exotic patterns the brands used for its collection. They were without a doubt Indian! I have been long a fan of Indian lifestyle brands such as Good Earth and Nicobar, so you can imagine they joy I felt when I came across a brand in Thailand that paid tribute to the beautiful Indian fabrics I love.
The more I looked into the brand, I discovered delightfully how the brand was a wonderful melange of Indian heritage and Thai craftsmanship with a healthy dose of French flare.
A Sunny, Chic and Colourful Way to Satisfy your Shopping Cravings
Marius & India’s Thailand women’s clothing creations are inspired by Indian culture, using colourful and stylish hand block printed Indian fabric from Jaipur. Hand blocking is an ancient method of textile printing in which wooden blocks carved with intricate details are used to manually print beautiful designs that usually cover the entire length of a piece of fabric. Once again, no machine is involved, and pieces are naturally limited.
Beautiful and Stylish Pieces Ethically Handmade in Thailand
If the Jaipur block prints are the stars of the products, then the craftsmen in Bangkok would be the heroes behind the scenes. The Marius & India team is a family, a collective community, a house full of laughter and friends. All of the brands’ women’s clothing products are handcrafted in Thailand to support local development. The brand chose to work with talented and enthusiastic local craftsmen only, meaning that every piece is part of a limited series free of intermediaries, flash sales, or overproduction.
Marius & India collaborate with the Good Shepherd Sisters, which is an NGO that provides housing, care, and education for at-risk women and children as well as sewing training so they can acquire the specific knowledge they need for a successful professional reintegration. In addition, it is not unusual to see notice of apologies from the brand for delays in certain collections due to the craftsmen’s urgent personal family issues. Limited collections mean responsible production, this is precious business practice especially in today fast-moving world when fashion houses are churning as many as twelve collections in a year!
The Wonders Lie within the Details
Marius & India believes in quality while adores details. I particularly enjoy seeing the unusual buttons that adorn their garments. Their signature buttons promise to delight you as you discover them. Such twist makes their tote bag not just a casual carry-all but accessories to highlight our outings. The brand’s talented team also offer stunning personalised embroidery services which I had definitely enjoyed— they tailor-made our team bags!
The Genie Behind the French Flare
Now you must wonder the team behind the festive creations behind Marius & India. To our surprise, most of the day-to-day creations and operations are all carried out by very talented Amanda, mum of Marius and India. Amanda swore she had summer vibes in her blood, as she’s from Southern France, and has Mediterranean heritage. Having worked and lived aboard in Asia for two decades (most of it in Thailand), Amanda felt warm weather and the tropics had been imprinted in her DNA. Coming from the luxury brand industry, Amanda built her career developing products for the most prestigious fashion and jewellery houses in the world.
But wait a minute, where did the love of India come from? To answer this question, Amanda shared with us how her mother’s career in fashion and textile industry had fuelled her enthusiasm to dress her up since she was a baby:
“I have always had a thing for India— its culture, its places. However, I am most drawn to its colours. Sometimes I think I could be an Indian in my past life! Not only that, but India also has the sentimental value to me as my husband and I got engaged in India.” Indeed, Amanda loves India so much, she named her daughter after it. “Well, when my daughter arrived, I thought it’s a miracle. I finally have my own “doll” to play with, just like my mum did me when I was little, as I was an only child.”
When she became a mother, she continued the “tradition,” only this time she brought it to the next level:
“I started to do make mum & me ensembles and people started to take on interests. This is all how it began for Marius & India. Of course, the fabrics I chose for our Thailand women’s clothing were often patterns with vibrant colours. From my fashion experience, I made a conscious effort to limit my production to align with the availability of materials. Part of the brand spirit is to respect our enivironment and play a part in protecting our planet. Another important mission of Marius & India is to give back to my beloved Thailand. I spent a major part of my adult life in Thailand. I commit to work with local communities and maintain fair trade practices that benefit both the Thai people as well as the quality of our products.”
Oriental Scents by French Alchemists
Close your eyes. Picture mandarin orange, cardamom and petit grain— notes of flowers, fruit and gourmand. Can you imagine the fragrance? Meet Amande Gourmade, which is the brand’s signature Eau de Toilette, which is also the scent being sprayed on Marius & India shopping bags. From Grasse, the world capital of Perfumes in France, the fragrance has been carefully crafted and meets the highest level of quality, complying with all European and Thai regulations. Beautifully captured in its chic and elegant transparent bottle complete with a golden cap, it comes in a little pouch in Indian cotton adorned with the cutest embroidered heart.
Affordable Luxuries to Bring Thailand, India and France Home at the Same Time!
Marius & India’s full product range extends from blouses, shorts, skirts, and pants to bags, jewellery and perfume! I adore their “mum, dad, and me” ensembles— they are so cute! The most expensive product is the chic Lou Cuff from the jewellery collection, at 8,900 THB while the least expensive are their gorgeous mini pouches which start from 390 THB (at time of writing, 1 USD was trading at a rate of 36.74 THB).
Marius & India products are available on the brand’s online shop. For those of you who are buying clothes in Thailand, you can visit them in person at their showroom in Sathorn, Bangkok by appointment.
