Maddie Orlando

Q: Where are you from, and where are you currently living?

A: I'm from Toronto and currently live in Los Angeles.

Q: You're the founder of your own clothing brand, Artless. Can you tell us a bit about the brand and its ethos?

A: Artless is inspired by the simplicity and intentional minimalism of the 90s, my absolute favorite fashion era. We craft ethically-produced, high quality closet staples that you can wear over and over again, with the intent to make the daily ritual of getting dressed feel a little more special. I create pieces that I feel are missing from my own closet, and then aim to make them as premium and effortless to style as possible.

Q: Did you always know you wanted to start your own business, or did it happen more organically over time?

A: I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur, but I didn't necessarily think it would be in the apparel space. After I graduated from university, I was tasked to create merchandise for my brother, who's a singer. After learning about the production process, I decided to start designing a capsule collection of my own, which later became Artless.

Q: What's been the most rewarding part of building Artless so far?

A: The entire brand building process has been rewarding, but the best is when I see girls IRL wearing pieces that I created. Surreal!

Q: What's something people might not realize about starting and running a brand at a young age?

A: Your lack of experience will probably result in you making some mistakes. I made some really big mistakes that I could look back and regret, but honestly, it's all part of the process.

Q: Creatively, where do you usually pull inspiration from when designing or building out a new concept?

A: 90s runways, my own life experience, and travelling.

Q: Where are your favorite places to shop or source clothing?

A: I almost exclusively shop online on sites like Cettire, Ssense, Net a Porter, Moda Operandi etc. I love browsing lots of brands at once and also get to discover tons of new, cool brands this way!

Q: Artless has partnered with retailers like Revolve, Nordstrom, and Free People—what have those collaborations meant to you as the brand has grown?

A: My goal for 2026 was to continue to build out our retail strategy, and now, almost halfway through the year, I'm so proud of the partnerships we've established. Working with retailers is amazing for brand awareness and for making the product easier for our customers to get their hands on. It's been essential as we've continued to grow.

Q: As someone who's built her own brand, what makes it exciting or important to you to wear, share, and support other brands?

A: I love sharing other small brands, particularly other female-owned businesses! I'm drawn to a nice unboxing experience, a great founder story, and a high quality product – those are usually the criteria that make me likely to share. Once I love something, I'll tell everyone about it.

Q: What made Bella Venice feel like a good fit for you personally—both to wear and share?

A: I'm obsessed with Taylor's commitment to creating products for her community, designing each piece with the 'Bella Girl' in mind. I also love how the designs are fun, youthful and loud, different from my brand's aesthetic but equally as key in creating an amazing, head-turning outfit. Bella Venice pieces make your outfit cool without trying too hard, and that's something that I'm always drawn to.

Q: You're also launching Future Proof this summer—which is so exciting. Can you tell us about this new venture, and how does it differ from what you've created before?

A: Future Proof is my foray into the wellness space and is very different from anything I've created before. Our first product, The Strength Ritual, is a daily protein sachet designed to support anyone trying to gain lean muscle, balance their blood sugar and support digestion – formulated specifically those on GLP-1 medications. We're aiming to launch in July and I'm so excited to share what has become my favorite daily ritual.

Q: When you're not working, what's your favorite way to recharge creatively?

A: Does watching TikTok count…?

Q: Do you feel more inspired by routines or spontaneity?

A: Routines plus novelty. I love having a well-established routine. I live basically the same day, every single day. However, I also am recharged and inspired by new experiences: meeting new people, traveling to new places, moving, trying new things. It keeps life exciting!

Q: What's an ideal day or weekend for you right now?

A: Here's a perfect Friday. Wake up at 7am, Pilates at Rise Up in Encino, walk my dogs, do an hour of admin work and emails while walking on my walking pad, meet a friend and work from a cafe or cute hotel in the afternoon, finish the night with dinner and drinks at Tower Bar.