Our Team

Let us guide you

From Pitti fashion trade show in Florence (Italy), to Milan Fashion Week to Spring Studios hub in NYC, we have seen it all.

Leda Di Marti, our CEO and expert in product development and sales, has been in the fashion industry for more that 15 years.

Leda met Elisa, your next colors and trends expert, in Milano during a Milano Fashion Week in 2019. Leda had her brand since 2017 and had learn so much since then. Not only about designing!

When they met, they found out that they had the same dream: making the industry of fashion easier for both the consumer and the brands.

Elisa has always been the consultant for many beauty brands as make up artist, but she is also the author of many books about skin-tone-matching and body shape. Fashion has always been Elisa’s passion as long as beauty.

Their love for fashion make this collaboration a reality and then a company: Maelle, con base a Dubai, Milano e NYC.

Meet the CEO

Ciao to all, I am Leda Di Marti, Italian technical fashion designer. I graduated in Rome at the Academia Costume e Moda, and I am the co-founder of Maelle.

I have 15 years of experience in the fashion industry as a brand consultant for several small, medium and established brands. I am proud to have gathered an overall vision of the fashion industry (with a focus on prêt-à-porter, prêt-a-couture and haute couture).

I moved to NYC soon after my graduation to work for Marc Jacbos, Carolina Herrera and Kate Spade, gaining important knowledge and experience about commercial fashion, prêt-a-portrait and haute couture. I subsequently began a career as an independent designer in high fashion, with my own company, Fashion Explained, creating bridal and evening dresses which transcended into my own brand, Leda Di Marti, founded in 2017.

My passion for the industry and responsibilities as an entrepreneur have also led me to attend the biggest fashion fairs worldwide, over the span of 10 years (both brand fairs and supplier fairs, such as Scoop London, Milano Unica, White Milano, Coterie NYC and Première Vision Paris, Pitti Immagine Firenze), through which I have established a network of professionals that have helped me in successfully positioning a product in the market.

Only if you do it, you can teach it

Leda, Martina and Elisa have lived so many fashion weeks and events and visited so many trade shows.

Not only, Leda and Martina are expert in their fields, but they continue to grow and to live the world they belong to.

MEET

LEDA DI MARTI

CEO

Leda Di Marti got the Bachelor’s Degree in Fashion in Roma, at ACM, now is the Founder and creative director of Fashion Explained since 2015, and together with several… professionals, she consults and designs for young and established fashion brands in NYC (where she lived for 8 years), in Milan, London and now Dubai. When in 2017, Leda founded her own fashion brand Leda Di Marti, she understood that in fashion the organizational, financial and communicative sides are complementary to the creative one and she specialized by studying to consult also on these aspects fashion businesses. Maelle App is her knowledge made accessible to all fashion brands.

professionals, she consults and designs for young and established fashion brands in NYC (where she lived for 8 years), in Milan, London and now Dubai. When in 2017, Leda founded her own fashion brand Leda Di Marti, she understood that in fashion the organizational, financial and communicative sides are complementary to the creative one and she specialized by studying to consult also on these aspects fashion businesses. Maelle App is her knowledge made accessible to all fashion brands.

ELISA BONANDINI

TECHNICAL CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Elisa Bonandini, graduated in architecture, is a style consultant and color expert based in Milan, Italy. She is the author of the books «Smart Beauty», style guides for… and him, (IT, 2018-2020). Elisa is the Fashion and Beauty contributor for the most read women’s magazine in Italy, and a image consultant for companies to increase sales and develop a more effective communication. As a opulizer and a benchmark in her field she also hold training seminars and workshop for entrepreneurs and companies and is invited as guest speaker on Tv, Radio and magazines. Shocking pink is her mantra, her dazzling smile her signature!

her and him, (IT, 2018-2020). Elisa is the Fashion and Beauty contributor for the most read women’s magazine in Italy, and a image consultant for companies to increase sales and develop a more effective communication. As a opulizer and a benchmark in her field she also hold training seminars and workshop for entrepreneurs and companies and is invited as guest speaker on Tv, Radio and magazines. Shocking pink is her mantra, her dazzling smile her signature!

MARTINA DI PASQUALE

CMO & CCO

Martina Di Pasquale is a sales and negotiation coach and founder of Ragazze D’Affari®️. Ragazze D’Affari was founded to support and grow the sales of Italian creatives who… offer services so that they can earn as much as they want through strategy, fun and self-confidence. After a muted entry into the business world after her translation studies, Martina becomes the best-performing salesperson at the EdTech she was employed at for 3 consecutive years. While growing her knowledge and experience on social media and sales, her social media account has become a community with the name of @ragazzedaffari (Business Girls), a virtual place where all the Italian girls in business share their experiences to grow their turnover and their network.

offer services so that they can earn as much as they want through strategy, fun and self-confidence. After a muted entry into the business world after her translation studies, Martina becomes the best-performing salesperson at the EdTech she was employed at for 3 consecutive years. While growing her knowledge and experience on social media and sales, her social media account has become a community with the name of @ragazzedaffari (Business Girls), a virtual place where all the Italian girls in business share their experiences to grow their turnover and their network.

MARCO GALLOTTA

PRODUCT CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Marco Gallotta is an Italian-born, New York City-based artist. He received his associate’s degree in fashion illustration and a bachelor’s degree in general illustration from… the Fashion Institute of Technology. He grew up in Italy, before moving to New York City in 1998. His artistic craft consists mostly of paper-cutting techniques, drawing, painting, and printmaking. “I love what I do and I feel lucky that I am able to do this for a living”. Marco uses his art to make a positive impact and he wishes to use his creations as an instrument of social change.

the Fashion Institute of Technology. He grew up in Italy, before moving to New York City in 1998. His artistic craft consists mostly of paper-cutting techniques, drawing, painting, and printmaking. “I love what I do and I feel lucky that I am able to do this for a living”. Marco uses his art to make a positive impact and he wishes to use his creations as an instrument of social change.

TAYLOR ELIZABETH

ENTERPRENEURSHIP ADVISOR

Taylor Elizabeth is an award- winning certified etiquette and image advisor and personal brand expert who holds a professional diploma in Etiquette and Protocol…, MBA in International Business, a Masters of the Arts in International Affairs, and is a certified and licensed Life Coach. She works with entrepreneurs and corporations to help empower individuals and teams around the world to develop effective and professional personal brands. Taylor’s unique approach to personal branding leverages soft skills such as etiquette, effective communications, deportment, and image to empower her clients to be the best version of themselves personally and professionally.

, MBA in International Business, a Masters of the Arts in International Affairs, and is a certified and licensed Life Coach. She works with entrepreneurs and corporations to help empower individuals and teams around the world to develop effective and professional personal brands. Taylor’s unique approach to personal branding leverages soft skills such as etiquette, effective communications, deportment, and image to empower her clients to be the best version of themselves personally and professionally.

KHALID MAHDI

COMMERCIAL ADVISOR

Khalid’s background is within the SME sector in Iraq, the United Kingdom, Jordan and has worked in Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana and the U.A.E. He has worked in different… capacities with Pioneer Air Systems Inc, i2 (Itsalat International), as a consultant to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and other SMEs in the FMCG sector. In addition to Chairing the Private Sector Development Centre, Nina and advising multinationals on doing business in Iraq Khalid is currently the Middle East director with Accentiá Franchise Consultants where his main role is to identify home grown businesses and help them expand regionally and internationally by way of franchising.

capacities with Pioneer Air Systems Inc, i2 (Itsalat International), as a consultant to the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), and other SMEs in the FMCG sector. In addition to Chairing the Private Sector Development Centre, Nina and advising multinationals on doing business in Iraq Khalid is currently the Middle East director with Accentiá Franchise Consultants where his main role is to identify home grown businesses and help them expand regionally and internationally by way of franchising.