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In our Indo Western fashion community, we celebrate bold and inspiring individuals. That is why, in our Let’s Talk Indo Western interviews, we speak with them about Indo Western fashion, personal growth, and their fashion journeys. Our goal is to meet and connect with exciting new people, find inspiration, and grow together as a community.
We spoke with Marie Weidlich — an award-winning marketer, entrepreneur, and creative force redefining how brands tell their stories. Born in Brazil and now based in London, Marie is the founder of London Fashion Today (@londonfashiontoday), a digital outlet at the intersection of fashion, food, design, and lifestyle. Building upon her extensive background in driving digital transformation for finance scale-ups, she recently launched Power Brand Builder, a DIY toolkit empowering entrepreneurs and creatives to grow their brands with confidence and clarity. As a passionate advocate for mental health and neurodiversity, Marie’s journey is also deeply spiritual, rooted in her Christian faith. Today, Marie lives in central London with her husband, a Swedish chef, and their four-year-old son, balancing family life with a taste for discovery, culture, and cuisine, always as a true global millennial foodie.
In our interview, Marie Weidlich shares how she transformed a tough childhood with macular degeneration, ADHD, and bullying into fierce self-love, unstoppable resilience, and great success by simply refusing to give up, how she wants to create real value as a changemaker and visionary, and why she sees Indo Western fashion as a powerful cultural force in the UK.
STYLØR: Since our community is all about Indo Western fashion, we’re so curious to know, have you ever heard of Indo Western fashion prior to this interview?
Marie Weidlich: I haven’t, but it’s a very interesting topic that you’re raising awareness for. I think that Indian fashion has always been quite inspiring in the UK. In fact, a lot of Indian communities keep their traditions alive and mix them with Western fashion, even if they’re British born. It’s like bringing Indian inspiration into Western culture, with vibrant colors, gold accessories, and even hairstyles and beauty treatments, all expressed in a romantic, feminine, and powerful way. For example, I have a colleague at work who comes from an Indian family. Although she’s British born, she’s very proud of her culture. She draws inspiration from the women in her family while blending it with Western influences when choosing her outfits. She also loves accessories, and I think it’s fabulous. Whenever she enters the room, you can tell she has beautiful makeup, standout accessories, and super pretty hair.
STYLØR: After exploring Indo Western fashion on our website and visiting the brands’ online shops, what are your thoughts on it?
Marie Weidlich: I like it. It made me think about things I’ve seen in the media lately, and I think it’s great to put a name to it. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but recently Miuccia Prada was allegedly involved in a controversy because they released leather sandals that are very common in a specific part of India. These sandals are typically manufactured for around five to ten euros. Miuccia Prada essentially took ownership of them and sold them allegedly at an extraordinary price. Correspondingly, that situation sparked a big polemic about cultural appropriation. I believe brands need to recognize that there is always a crossover between fashion and culture, but it’s also crucial to maintain boundaries and show respect toward elements of fashion that represent a culture or religion. It should not be just about mass manufacturing, replicating, and turning everything into a commodity. You cannot commodify a religion or a culture. I think that’s a very dangerous thing to do. In that sense, I found this controversy to be a powerful starting point for thinking about Indian influences in Western fashion, and how this applies across many cultures.
STYLØR: Were there any brands that really stood out to you and that you haven’t been able to stop thinking about since?
Marie Weidlich: My style is very sober these days, especially since I was recently diagnosed with ADHD. I try to avoid bright colors when I get dressed, as they can feel overstimulating. However, growing up in Brazil where soap operas are a big part of our culture, I vividly remember an Indian inspired show where the actors wore sarees and introduced us to many aspects of Indian culture. That show sparked a phase in my life where I was deeply inspired by fashion from Goa, Hindu goddesses, and everything that aligned with a beachy, summer lifestyle. Think long, airy dresses made of cotton or silk, often adorned with gold threads, paired with leather flat sandals. It was very much inspired by Indian aesthetics. When I saw the colors on your website, it brought back a wave of nostalgia for that time in my life when I wore such looks. These days, however, my style has shifted. It’s more neutral and minimal and reflects a mix of Scandinavian simplicity and Italian elegance. I deeply appreciate Italian craftsmanship and that timeless, classic aesthetic.
STYLØR: We would love to learn more about you as a person. Imagine someone meets you for the first time. How would you introduce yourself?
Marie Weidlich: I’d say it really depends on the context in which you’re meeting me, because I play many different roles. For example, if you were my neighbor and asked me who I am, I’d say I’m a passionate mother, I work in the city, and I love exploring new things. But if you were asking me in a professional setting, I’d introduce myself as a writer and experienced marketer with more than 15 years of helping businesses grow and scale in the UK. I’m also a content creator, building my own social media channel. Actually, I’ve been creating lifestyle content for more than 15 years. This started well before Instagram even existed. I used to write reviews of hotels and restaurants around the world. So the answer really changes, because I don’t believe I’m just one thing. I’m a passionate person with a strong eye for detail, someone who is very adaptable and curious about cultures from all over the world. I’m resilient and open to change. I’m a change maker.
STYLØR: Can you tell us more about your childhood and how you grew up?
Marie Weidlich: Overall, I consider myself very privileged. I grew up in a place in southern Brazil that was not diverse at all. It was heavily influenced by European culture, especially Italian and German communities. I also had a very strict education, which was beneficial in some ways but also put me under pressure, as I was a neurodiverse child. The traditional system didn’t really support me in a way that allowed me to thrive. Still, I was lucky to have a family that was always open to improving my life. I took part in so many activities like playing, swimming, piano, and tennis. Everything you can imagine. I tried it all, but what I loved most was performing and doing anything related to fashion. Luckily, my Italian grandmother was a fashion addict. Like my mother, she owned a crazy amount of clothes and even had a separate room just for her wardrobe. She was the kind of person who walked into a room and immediately drew attention. Since she was a public figure in our community, she often took me to events or let me play dress-up in her closet. My aunt, on the other hand, was an artist and would help me with makeup. There were truly no limits for the things that I wanted to play and do. Furthermore, my grandfather was a very intellectual man who loved to write. Consequently, he taught me how to write. In a funny way, that’s how my whole Instagram journey started when I was probably seven years old. Yet, on a more serious note, my biggest challenge growing up was that I was an insecure child who experienced bullying for a long time. I constantly sought acceptance and a sense of belonging. Fashion was the connection between that, because I never believed people would find me interesting just for how I looked.
STYLØR: What happened next? Why did you decide to become an entrepreneur?
Marie Weidlich: I think you don’t decide to become something. Instead, there’re things you already are, and they’re polished over time through the experiences you have. The most important part of that journey is believing in the goal and the outcome rather than overthinking the journey itself. For example, I always knew I wanted to travel, to meet different cultures, and to work in media since I graduated as a journalist. Yet, I knew working in traditional media was not my end goal. So I pursued a master’s degree where I examined how fashion information from Vogue was redefined on Instagram back in 2010. After graduating, I realized that the place I lived was not the right outlet for me to express my truth and art. Consequently, I moved from Brazil to London and created my Instagram channel London Fashion Today (@londonfashiontoday), which started by photographing street style in London. Being in my twenties and knowing no one in London was very tough. Still, my quest was to understand how to become someone in a city like London. Already having some followers on Instagram and being obsessed with creating content, I walked around London every day, browsed magazines, talked to people, attended London Fashion Week, and searched for great places. The downside was that I spent a lot of time online and mostly by myself. I didn’t have a community of friends or family around me. At one point, I was traveling around Europe, reviewing five-star hotels and restaurants, and having meals alone. If you ask me if I was unhappy, I’d say no. To be honest, it was the most empowering thing I’ve ever done. As a woman and immigrant, I was standing my ground and saying, this is what I want to do, and nobody is going to stop me. So it was really about not focusing too much on the process but concentrating on the end goal.
STYLØR: Looking back, what has been your greatest success in life so far?
Marie Weidlich: My greatest success has been learning to truly love myself. Growing up with macular degeneration and ADHD, I wore thick glasses, was endlessly energetic, and was bullied from ages six to thirteen. It left me anxious, depressed, and at times suicidal, but I refused to stay defined by that pain. My antidote was passion, fashion, music, media and the internet, and through them I rebuilt myself. In my twenties, I became self-aware, resilient, finished a master’s in fashion, and moved to London to create the life I dreamed of. I learned to find love in unlikely places, in solo walks through European cities, in the stillness of solitude, even in a Michelin-starred dinner for one. That wasn’t pity, it was empowerment. If I’ve learned anything, it’s this: never take no for an answer. Go after what you believe in, and success will find you, as long as you stay self-aware, live by strong values, and lead with respect and generosity. Nothing can truly stop you.
STYLØR: Fashion obviously plays a pivotal role in your life. So we’re curious to hear, what does fashion mean to you?
Marie Weidlich: Fashion, for me, is a natural form of expression. It’s a language made of symbols and preferences, a personal statement that can reveal one’s culture, upbringing, story, and personality just as easily as it can conceal them. I’ve often seen myself as a chameleon, adapting to my surroundings, and fashion works the same way. It flows with you, evolving as you redefine who you are, deciding what fits and what must go. I’ve always believed fashion is an empowerment tool. As a true Italian at heart, I can’t subscribe to the idea of tech entrepreneurs wearing the same outfit every day. There’s nothing more beautiful and empowering than dressing for success. Even if you don’t fully identify with an outfit, it can still make you feel powerful, and that feeling can only move you forward.
STYLØR: How do you come up with your outfits and where do you find fashion inspiration?
Marie Weidlich: I’m very intuitive with fashion, it’s less about Instagram or magazines and more about embodying how I want to feel in a moment, the places I go, the people I meet, the energy I want to carry. Being neurodiverse makes me highly sensitive, which helps me express myself authentically through clothes. My style leans toward a minimalist, contemporary aesthetic, natural materials, clean lines, and comfort above all. I’m a big believer in circular fashion, so I mostly buy and resell designer pieces, especially Scandinavian labels, and love hunting for treasures in second-hand shops. One of my favourites is a black Paul Smith silk-wool blazer, a forever statement piece. Having lived in Sweden and Norway, Scandinavian fashion, interiors, and lifestyle have deeply influenced me. I avoid high-street fast fashion, I prefer renting or buying second-hand for special occasions, and I often collaborate with brands for standout everyday pieces. My closet is sober but intentional. My weaknesses? Bags, perfumes, and trainers. Fragrance is part of my fashion ritual, I live in Margiela, Tom Ford, and Celine. And in the City of London, nothing beats a sharp suit paired with great trainers.
STYLØR: Are there any other fashion content creators you personally know who really inspire you?
Marie Weidlich: I say Leonie Hanne (@leoniehanne), is that too obvious? I think the creator economy is cyclic. Leonie is the new Chiara Ferragni. I like them both, not because I’m inspired by their personal style, but because of the aspirational and alluring content they create. The creators who truly inspire me aren’t always the biggest names. Some have less than 20K followers, others over a million. I follow a bunch of them, but two that stand out are Melissa Wood Tepperberg (@melissawoodtepperberg), a New Yorker who blends mystic yogi vibes with mental health advocacy and killer style, and Leandra Medine (@leandramcohen) of Man Repeller, one of the original fashion bloggers with a sharp aesthetic sense, cinematic vision, and deep fashion knowledge. That said, I don’t actually get most of my fashion inspiration from Instagram. My tastes evolve through travel, culture, and interiors — which is why I also follow a lot of interior accounts.
STYLØR: What are your next goals on social media or in life?
Marie Weidlich: This is probably the most important question, and a fitting one to close with. As I mentioned before, I see myself as a changemaker and a visionary. To live up to that, you can’t just focus on what’s happening now, you have to think ahead, go the extra mile, and imagine how the world will look in the future. I love the quote often attributed to George Bernard Shaw: “If everyone agrees with your idea, it’s too late.” It perfectly captures how I approach life and where I’m headed. When I first started using Instagram back in 2010, I spent hours building my audience by following and unfollowing accounts. My sister thought it was strange, her boyfriend, now husband, laughed, but then Instagram exploded, and I began doing extraordinary things with it. I feel the same way now, except the future lies beyond Instagram. The next chapter is about creating a single, cohesive presence across platforms. One voice, one cause, informed by tech insight and grounded in meaningful conversation. In a world drowning in misinformation and mindless consumption, people will have to try harder to earn attention. That’s where I want to be: leading with social and community impact, creating real value around causes I believe in, rather than just curating an aspirational lifestyle. Another key aspect for me is integrating who I’m into an Al-optimized way of living. The possibilities here’re endless. I want to specialize in areas I haven’t yet tapped professionally, like data privacy and regulation, and I aim to implement language models and intelligent agents to support both my business growth and my day-to-day life effectively.
