MARZWRLD: A Multidisciplinary Artist

MARZWRLD is a multidisciplinary artist known for blending visual art and fashion into a beautifully chaotic creative universe. Based in New York City, MARZ has spent the past few years building a body of work that spans photography, modeling, fashion design, event curation, and now—drag. With a background in photography and self-expression through styling, MARZ has modeled for notable brands like Snipes USA and Sprayground, just to name a few. Through their brand PLANETMARZ, they repurpose thrifted clothing into one-of-a-kind wearable art, often incorporating their own original photography and mixed media techniques.

As an event curator, MARZ most recently launched ‘Promiscuous’ , a space for community, artistry, and liberation. Now stepping into the world of drag, MARZ is embracing their full creative identity. Rooted in vulnerability, authenticity, and fearless self-expression.

I had the privilege of chatting with them and trust me, their world is one you’ll want to take a look into.

Diamond Durant: So, first and foremost, what does fashion mean to you personally and creatively? 

MARZWRLD: Fashion. I guess I didn't grow up in the fashion world and knowing anything about fashion until I just ran and we dived into it. It's just like with everything that I do, it's part of freedom of expression. It's just like another part of me being able to be me authentically. It's [fashion] just expression and self-expression and authenticity.

Durant: You work with mixed media in your designs. Can you walk us through your process and what drew you to mixed media, and how has it shaped your voice as a designer? 

MARZWRLD: I like mixed media because you never know what's going to happen. You work with different materials and react differently to different things.I feel I'm more connected with my art when I  just kind of black out in a way, and just let my body just do its thing and just be in a whole flow state. I don't really have a process of making things. I just see these different materials and these different objects and I'm just like, “what if I put that and this together”, “what if I add water to this?” “What if I glue this, let it dry and then chip away at it?”I just have these what if questions and so that allows me to explore a lot more. And what was the second question? 

Durant: How has it [mixed media] shaped your voice as a designer? 

MARZWRLD: Yeah, I've definitely tried to learn Photoshop and, you know, online, like editing software. Like I love doing videos. I love, you know, editing photos. I also think that it's rooting my inner child and connecting with that because, you know, growing up, we did a lot of arts and crafts. And so I just loved touching things and making things with my hands. I would say just by experimenting, and now being at the place I am and seeing my work throughout time. I definitely see the connections to everything. It's just helped me get my story across better by doing mixed media, adding these extra elements.

Durant: So you're a model, a designer and a newly formed drag artist. How does your self-expression shift or stay consistent across those identities, or do they feed into one another? 

MARZWRLD: I think they feed into one another, but they're also their separate entities. I definitely think, if you do more than one thing, it helps with the other thing. I haven't done photography in a minute and I've been kind of creatively blocked there, but drag recently has opened that up for me again. I love doing weird shoots and creating these drag looks. Just having that creative energy flow back into that part of me, while also finding this new creative outlet. Drag has allowed me to express myself in such a different way. Modeling in a way is kind of like acting. You're becoming this kind of persona. You're just posing and you're there and then not. But like with drag, you're in, you're in it. Like you are this person for however long your performance is, at least for me. I love dancing. I love letting my body move, so just letting the music flow through me. I think that's like what my art is, essentially just being in a constant flow state and seeing what comes from that. But yeah, it's all connected and it all has helped me with my other creative endeavors and definitely get it better at each one. 

Durant: How did you first get into drag? Was there a specific moment or was it something that you always been interested in but never had the time to do so?

MARZWRLD: Yes. So I've been wanting to do drag for a minute, and I mean, Ive been doing drag makeup for photoshoots, I grew up a theater kid and and I've done plays and I've done like talent shows and I go to the club and I dance at the club, so you know,  I've always had that, and I've always wanted to do drag and put that together, but I've just always had this fear of doing it. The fear of performing, doing drag, and going out in drag, but I'm such a perfectionist that it hinders me sometimes. I’m in my head and it makes me not do things and push it off because I'm like “oh, I really can't do my own makeup that well. So, you know, I'm just not going to do it as a whole” instead of just going and diving in. Knowing it's the first time, you're not going to be good the first time you do something that you've never done before. I just moved into my new apartment. Now I live with two drag queens. So just seeing them do their thing and just having this itch to do it as well. They helped me get into drag. They provided me with makeup or tips and this and that. So they provide me with encouragement. One of my roommates said there was this drag show that happens every month and it's open sets and I should sign up. And so I did. I had my first performance and it was so fun. And now I'm on my third performance and I just remember my first performance and being nervous and now I'm looking back at my latest performance and I just can't remember having any nerves right before the performance. So it's really helping with my confidence and each time I do it, it gets easier and better.

Durant: And um what would you say your biggest accomplishment is so far, whether a moment, a collaboration or a personal breakthrough? 

MARZWRLD: So I've been in New York for under a year and I've done a lot in that time, I feel like, and so I'm really proud of myself for coming here and really pursuing what I said I was going to pursue and, you know, just putting action behind my own words.  Even through the ups and downs. It's fucking hard on top of it being expensive. New York has a way of really chewing you up and spitting you out, girl. and then my [day] job laying me off two times and, you know, dealing with all that, I think I'm really proud of myself for persevering and like continuing to get my shit done and doing what I said I came to New York to do. So I'm really proud of that and a more specific moment, I'm really proud of my organizing, especially my Halloween party. But actually, I'm really more proud of my queer prom, PROMiscuous’  that just happened. 

Durant: In a world that's constantly trying to box people in, how do you stay rooted in your truth while continuing  to evolve? 

MARZWRLD: I get a lot of my inspiration from just like, like life experiences. A lot of my work can do with living life, so just always just allowing myself to breathe and touch grass and know that like there are no limits to anything and that anything is possible. And if I want it, I got it, I can think it. 

Durant: Rejection is a part of the creative industry or creative space as a whole. How have you learned to handle step backs and keep motivated? Would you say your previous answer lines up with how you’d respond to this question. 

MARZWRLD: Honestly, yeah, I mean, with modeling and being creative you always hear ‘no’ but it really is redirection. I look back and I'm just like everything worked out how it was supposed to. It's hard in the moment, but you come to terms with it, but then you see the bigger picture later on and it's like, “wow, you know, that no was actually a yes for me, honey!” 

Durant: And where do you see MARZ as a person and as a brand in the next five to ten years? And is there anything we can see coming soon in the near future from MARZ? 

MARZWRLD: Eventually I would love to see my clothes get bigger. We can expect bigger and better, higher quality, but still sustainable one of one's, but also branching making clothes that everyone can buy. I want to get into a lot of things. I mean, like MARZWRLD as a brand I do so much. And it's just really exciting, but expect workshops, even more performances. Just expect to be like damn this bitch does it all. And that's what's about to come, honey. Especially with doing drag, I feel like I just dipped my toe into what I'm capable of and what is coming from me. And I just feel like in this next year, or two, or however long,  it's about to be a deep dive into this creative world that I've created. I'm just so excited to see where it goes because I really don't know, but I just know it's going to be good and this is me now speaking into existence with you. 

Durant: Exactly. And that shit is going to happen, okay! 

MARZWRLD: It's happening right now!

Written and interviewed by Diamond Durant @diamondurant

Photography by Mark Bluemle @barks.mindd 

Talent: Marz @​​marzwrldbitch

What's Hot: A Look at NYFW from Those You Should Know

It’s one thing to see some of the hottest events of the year with fresh eyes and new navigation, but when you're a vet, you're graced with a new title and a new sense of what’s in fashion. Whether it’s your first or your last, knowing what’s hot is an important skill many vets have come to master, that's why we spoke with those on the up and up, finding the gems of this year's NYFW.

Fashion Journalist and Content Creator, Chloé Solnicki, shares her experience from her second NYFW. Chloé attended nine shows, among them Melke, Alvin Valler, Alexis Bittar, but the Cucculelli Shaheen runway show stood out to her the most. “Cucculelli definitely caught my heart with this collection, definitely something more than memorable,” says Solnicki. “I didn’t know the brand before the event but I have to admit that I fell in love with all the designs, as well as the show. They found the perfect bridge and managed to combine feminine high fashion dresses with a punk touch, doing their runway show in a music house with a live rock band playing,” Solnicki Continued.

Chloé Solnicki at Cucculelli Shaheen runway show 

LEFT: Solnicki at Melke Presentation. RIGHT: Chloé Solnicki in between shows

Photographer Liuna Fekravar graduated from Harvard in 2023, but Boston's fashion scene is much different from NYC; that didn't stop her stride, attending some of the hottest shows like Lauren Altman, the Time to be Happy Gallery in Lower Manhattan, and One Night In Bangkok at Ideal Glass Studios in Soho. ”My favorite show was Frederick Anderson’s Fall 2025 Ready to Wear runway show at the Edition Hotel,” she commented, “The show took place at the Paradise Club at the Edition Hotel and was romantically curated with velvet floor-length curtains, an almost mist-like smoke, and opened by opera singer (and Grammy Winner) J’Nai Bridges,” added Fekravar. “From a photography perspective, I loved the juxtaposition and found myself able to take more creative runway photos than usual.”  

Frederick Anderson’s runway show. 

Anna Delvey walking for One Night in Bangkok fashion presentation.

That’s not the only show that caught her attention though, “I have long been an advocate for a focus on sustainability in fashion, and it was incredible to see a collection that personifies this so well,” Fekravar said about Lauren Altman. “She transforms into one-of-a-kind wearable pieces of art,” she continued, “I had the opportunity to shoot BTS as well as (the) runway at her show, which allowed me to really focus in on her artistic craft and the incredible detail behind each one of her pieces.” 

Pictures by Liuna Fekravar for Lauren Altman NYFW AW 25/26

We also caught up with Michelle Paradis who’s work (or camera) you mightve seen taking stunning pictures all through the week.

On the streets of NYC, Paradis captures the beautiful chaos of NYFW

Paradis attended Runway shows at the 1896, and enjoyed all the show had to offer, “Backstage is where the magic truly happens, and it's always my favorite part. The atmosphere is electric and chaotic, with models slipping into their outfits, waiting to be styled, often taking hours to prepare for the grand finale. In those spontaneous moments, anything can happen, and capturing that energy is exciting.”

Backstage captured by Michelle Paradis

Backstage captured by Michelle Paradis

Backstage captured by Michelle Paradis

Backstage captured by Michelle Paradis

In the show, Twiggy Moore and Evan Walker showcased their collections alongside other various talented designers, and in Paradis eyes, they’re designers you should keep an eye out for. 

“Twiggy Moore and Evan Walker are the rising stars of this Fashion Week,” said Paradis. “Twiggy and Evan pushing are the boundaries, refreshing what fashion can be for this new generation,” she added 

Twiggy Moore designs backstage NYFW ‘25

“Stepping into their world felt like entering a whimsical realm reminiscent of Alice in Wonderland-theatrical and unconventional with Twiggy's textured silhouettes and the utilitarian and earthy vibes of Evan Walker that perfectly capture the rebellious contrast of these designers,” Paradis stated.

Written by Toni Desiree

Finding the Finale: NYFW With Leg5

To many, New York Fashion Week is the best week of the year…unless you live in New York and don’t work in fashion—that is. The casting call girls, guys, and everyone in between flood the streets, demanding that their $8 matchas be made faster, their jeans be lower rise, and their names be on every list for every afters. Don’t get me wrong—I have many model and designer friends who are lovely and talented, but it’s safe to say NYFW isn’t what it used to be. It’s become a week with less emphasis on art, fashion, and talent, and more emphasis on lists, afters, follower count, content creation, and exclusivity. It’s become clouded by the clouted (and worse—by those wishing they were). 

At the forefront of its social-climbing is an amalgamation of influencers, socialites, and fauxialites (clout-chasing, aspiring socialites that have not yet made it high enough on the ladder as a social climber to earn the label “socialite”). To the aforementioned, nothing is exciting if it’s all-inviting; Exclusivity is hotter than it’s ever been. Every party (even at clubs you frequent every other week of the year) is only as tempting as it is elite—letting spiritually-vapid fauxialites masquerade as the beau monde. Fashion week is an invitation for everything to be pricier, streets to be more crowded, and lines to be longer (I’m referring to two types of lines—those that are stood in and those that are snorted). I’m no stranger to chaos and I’m certainly not averse to it, but this was different from the type of chaos I’m familiar with, but then again “familiar chaos” is somewhat of an oxymoron in itself. 

Most NYFW events I went out of my way to avoid (apologies for my unconcealed misanthropy), but the event I was looking forward to most was the Alt NY Fashion Gala at Le Bain. I was hosting another party at Home Sweet Home on Chrystie Street, and my hosting duties required me to stay there until 2:30 AM, but once I was off the clock, I rushed over to catch the end of the party at Le Bain.

Me on an elevated surface at the first party shot by Mason Kidd @masonkiddphotography

Candids a stranger took then airdropped me of me changing into my sneakers so I could run through the streets to catch the train to Le Bain

ALT NY Fashion Gala at Le Bain

I know it was a good party when I walk in late and immediately see my friends straddling and locking lips with the very men who broke their hearts that they vowed to never speak to again. I play the ostrich momentarily and pretend to turn a blind eye because now is not the time for confrontation; Now is the time for partying. I’ll knock some sense into them later, but right now we dance. 

I’ve been to Le Bain—a nightclub inside The Standard Hotel in the Meatpacking District—many times, but I believe this is the first time I've been there when it was snowing. You’d think that would be insignificant, as nightclubs are inside after all, right? However, anyone who’s ever been to Le Bain is familiar with not only the picturesque view of the Manhattan skyline that its presence on the top floor of the hotel invites, but also with the entrance to the rooftop. I don’t typically like the snow. I was born and raised in the Northeast, so it never excited me. The first snow of the season only made me sad—knowing it would only end up gray on the sidewalk in a day or two and was a sign of a long, dreary Winter that was to come, but there was something about stepping out onto this rooftop and seeing the ground covered with pillowy snow that just felt so calming. 

It was so serene—one of those moments that you can already anticipate missing in the future.

The party was produced by Matt Weinberger (photographer) and Orson (DJ)—two names to keep at the center of your NYC nightlife Rolodex. It had an impressive lineup of DJs including Guillaume Berg, Picture Plane, Wave.89, Quiet Girls, and Orson himself, and featured the work of various indie fashion designers including but not limited to Bella Pietro, Emerson Isa, By Liv Handmade, and Drink More Water.

When I arrived at the door, it helped that I was able to cut the entire line and tell the bouncer I was on the VIP list. The regular line wrapped around the door, as this party had over thirteen hundred RSVPs, and in this freezing cold, there was no way I was waiting in it.

“Are you one of the models?” The bouncer asked me at the door. I told him I was not and that I was probably listed under either “press” or “close friends”, but this was one of several times that night I would be asked this, which was probably enough sustenance for my ego until the next NYFW. He found my name on the list and I headed up the elevator to the top floor of The Standard.

Immediately I was welcomed by the very chaos I anticipated. So much smoke clouded the inside of the club that I could barely see who it was that was hugging me and greeting me with enthusiasm upon my entry. There was club music so loud that I could not just hear it but almost feel it moving through my veins, and of course—bright flashes in a dark room of photographers taking photos of influencers, socialites, and fauxialites—with a percentage of well-respected artists among them. I looked around the room and one thing was for certain — ‘heroin chic’ is back (but this time it’s less chic—it’s almost ‘heroin sleaze’).

I found Matt and greeted him, let him snap a few photos of me, and then joined the rest of the crowd to dance.

Only Ali RQ of DJ duo Quiet Girls could make a platform above a pool shake with Katy Perry’s classic “Teenage Dream”—the DJ duo’s DJ set was far from eponymous, as it was anything but quiet when they were behind the decks.

After a while of dancing, all the cocktails I’d previously consumed caught up with me and begrudgingly, I left to use the bathroom. While in line for the bathroom, I saw myself in the corner on one of the posters on the wall from a different party I had attended there months prior and was pleasantly surprised.

The poster with my face in the top right corner of the photo by Mark “The Cobrasnake” Hunter

After going to the bathroom, I danced some more, socialized some more, and eventually, the music came to an end and we were all herded out of the club. This was maybe the first time the 4 am end time actually meant 4 am. I headed up to the roof once more before heading out. I was shocked to see what were probably influencers posing for pictures wearing chapless pants in February outside in the snow.

I stopped in a donut shop on the way out because it was the only thing that was open while I waited for my train and it was freezing. A random man, who flirted with me relentlessly, bought me two donuts of my choice and one coffee of his. I ate one of the donuts and gave the second to a homeless person, along with the coffee—as it may have been coffee time for the random man in the donut shop who bought it for me and wished me a good morning, but I still had glitter on my eyes, my dead grandmother’s Manolo Blahniks on my feet, and a blood alcohol content even higher than my heels. The party itself was fun, but I’m glad this week is in the rear. As I waited for my train and reflected on the party and New York Fashion Week in all its glory, I decided I was petitioning to reclaim the word “socialite” and abolish the resurgence of methadone clinic chic.

Written by Lucy Geldziler