Lucie de la Falaise and Ella Richards

We are proud to reveal our latest Marfa Muse campaign in continued collaboration with revered photographer and stylist Cathy Kasterine, this time shooting mother, daughter duo Lucie de la Falaise and Ella Richards in the stunning gardens of Borde Hill, West Sussex.

Lucie de La Falaise is a renowned British-French lifestyle consultant, designer, socialite and nature lover born and raised in the British countryside in Wales. Discovered by Vogue’s Creative Director Andre Leon Talley at just 16, the former model worked with the likes of Givenchy, Armani and Comme des Garçons and was a YSL muse.

Lucie then made the move from New York to the British countryside where she and her husband, Marlon Richards, raised a family of three. Back to her roots she forayed into lifestyle and fashion styling and most recently created her own lifestyle studio with her long time partner Helene Renaud, working on international lifestyle and interior design projects with brands (including Dior and Schiaparelli) and private clients.

Her daughter, Ella Richards has followed in her mother’s footsteps but making it very much her own. Her debut was with Calvin Klein and you’ll find her on the runways of Chanel and Alexander McQueen, the cover of Elle, the pages of Vogue, and in campaigns for Tom Ford and Burberry.

This shoot perfectly captures the multigenerational and timeless ethos of Marfa Stance, with one piece beautifully complementing the two generations.  Cathy has deftly captured both Lucie and Ella’s harmony and individuality, and that of our multifunctional and modular designs which allow each to wear one Marfa Stance piece in multiple different ways.

Read our interview with Lucie de la Falaise on career and family life.

#marfamuse

Interview with Lucie de la Falaise

Tell us about your background

I grew up on a Welsh hill farm with streams to play in and trees to climb. It was an extremely idyllic childhood. I watched my parents farm, grow food, cook and I remember being intrigued seeing my father Alexis creating furniture and working on carpentry, designing furniture and objects. When I was 14, we move to Fontainebleau outside of Paris. I learned to be streetwise and understand town/city life there.

Talk us through your career journey so far

Andre Leon Tally came to our home in Fontainebleau to photograph the house for a magazine. My mother mentioned to Andre that if the pictures were good that he keep me in his mind for other shoots he may be doing. Andre did and we shot a HG cover and story so I have him to thank for starting my modelling career.

One shoot led to another with incredible photographers and I signed a beauty contract with YSL when I was 16 and closed the runway shows as the bride. At 18 I travelled to NYC to shoot Italian Vogue with Steven Meisel and that launched me into the NYC fashion scene and working with great fashion editors and magazines. I ended up living there for 10 years.

I juggled modelling and raising my young family but became more and more curious about lifestyle and interiors as I built our family homes, so that’s the direction I took a few years ago, creating objects and lifestyle.

Tell us about Lucie de La Falaise Studio

I have a lot of very creative family members who have been successful in their own right so LDLF STUDIO is a creative space for me and my own voice and creativity to house my projects collaborations and dreams.

7 years ago I started working with my partner Helene RENAUD, who takes care of the business side of things. We found collaborative projects with Dior Maison and Schiaparelli and private clients wanting help to style their home interiors. We have exciting fashion and lifestyle collaborations coming out from Spring 2024.

It’s been busy and very rewarding working towards things I have been looking forward to doing but have held back on to raise my family. Now the time feels right to move towards my own goals

What advice do you have for fellow female entrepreneurs?

Work a little bit every day towards your goals. Being consistent is key, a bit like working out you will see results.

Don’t compare yourself to others it’s hard but try.

Believe in yourself and your own instincts you are the one who really knows you best. Work with other women creating a sisterhood, you don’t have to work alone.

What are you most proud of?

Creating my beautiful family, my 3 children and my husband who’s been my bestie for 30 plus years and building a beautiful life together.

The shoot represents the multigenerational appeal of our brand, how do you personally style your Marfa Stance and why do you like the brand?

The Marfa Stance collection, from the colours to lightness of the materials, is so refined and well-made they feel very luxurious. I love the brand also because it’s practical and that’s so me. I can take them on the Eurostar, on a plane as a comforter or a Sussex beach dog walk and to the city to meet a client and look chic.

The whole up cycling material elements I am obsessed with, it’s such a clever idea and with the changeable collars/colours they have achieved a really beautiful brand

Photographer: Cathy Kasterine