Marisa Selfa is the CEO of Ocean Born Lifestyle and one of the leading voices in sustainability. With over 25 years of experience in the fashion industry, Marisa has dedicated her career to merging fashion and sustainability. From her current residence in Italy, she leads Ocean Born Lifestyle, an initiative dedicated to regenerating the oceans through an innovative business model that channels 100 percent of its profits to marine conservation projects.
In this exclusive interview for Pearls magazine, Marisa shares her inspiring journey, her commitment to responsible fashion, and her vision on the urgency of changing our consumption habits to preserve our planet.
Marisa Selfa, CEO of Ocean Born Lifestyle
Hello Marisa! Can you tell us about your professional background?
Although I am Spanish, I have worked much of my professional career abroad. I currently reside in Italy, which is my seventh country of residence. I have spent over 25 years in the fashion world, holding international positions in highly recognized brands like Levi Strauss, where I gained invaluable experience in the fashion industry. I spent 8 years there in various roles, from Product Manager, Marketing Director for Southern Europe, to Brand Director EMEA. Adidas recruited me as the Global Director for Men’s and Kids’ products, and I lived in Germany until Timberland convinced me to move to London as the Global VP for Textiles, Accessories, and Licenses. I then returned to Spain to serve as the General Director of Cortefiel, and subsequently progressed to become the CEO of National Geographic Retail, Co-CEO at Ecoalf, and CEO of North Sails based in Milan. My background is in marketing from ESIC, and I stumbled into the fashion world, as my first job was in the food sector at Sara Lee.
What motivated you to join the Ocean Born Foundation, and what does it focus on?
For over 15 years, I have worked towards making fashion as responsible as possible in the various brands I have been a part of. The fashion industry is one of the most polluting sectors, and I feel a strong sense of responsibility. In the companies I have managed as CEO, I have been deeply committed to reducing the impact of collections on carbon footprints and trying to dedicate a portion of the marketing budget to awareness or ocean regeneration campaigns. At the end of last year, I met the founders of Ocean Born and realized that it truly made sense! At Ocean Born, 100% of profits are donated to ocean regeneration projects… and I had no doubts; it was time for me to dedicate all my experience to a genuine cause.
Can you tell us about the Ocean Born Lifestyle and Tailored by Ocean Born fashion lines?
Ocean Born Lifestyle is our way of engaging with the public about how to enjoy fashion while being committed to the planet. We develop collections to raise awareness of fashion’s impact on the environment, and 100% of the profits from these sales are donated to the ocean. For instance, we have a sheer collection, another made from fabric scraps, and “cause” t-shirts made of 80 per cent organic cotton and 20 per cent algae. Our mission is to encourage our customers to choose us because our clothes are beautiful, high-quality, affordably priced, and most importantly made with low-impact materials, all while knowing that the proceeds from their purchase go to the ocean.
On the other hand, we have a B2B division, Tailored by Ocean Born, which aims to work with other industries to create a double impact. On one hand, we help them design and produce uniforms, merchandising, or corporate gifts with reduced impact using responsible materials. On the other hand, they achieve a positive impact through our donation of 100 per cent of our profit to ocean regeneration projects. We work with industries such as hospitality, healthcare, universities and business schools, events, among others.
Imagine… transforming corporate spending on uniforms, gifts, or merchandising into real funds to protect and regenerate the ocea
ns. It’s an innovative and high-impact business model!
What is your role within the Foundation, and what have you achieved since your arrival in January 2024?
I am the CEO of both companies mentioned: Ocean Born Lifestyle and Tailored by Ocean Born. Since joining the Foundation at the beginning of this year, we have successfully developed Tailored with clients such as Mynd Hotels, Four Seasons, BBVA, Bizum, among others… and we know that this is not a mere transaction; it is a transitional relationship where we work with our clients to improve their carbon footprint reduction year by year.
In Ocean Born Lifestyle, we have launched two cause-related t-shirts, one supporting algae and the other whales. We have also licensed the BluWild brand from Mads St. Claire, where we developed the first swimwear collection at Ocean Born. This is just the beginning of many other collaborations we are working on that will be revealed soon. In fact, we have just launched our first jewelry collection with Olivia Mandle, a young activist fighting against the captivity of cetaceans. The entire profit from the sale of this beautiful collection will go to her cause.
The activist Olivia Mandle
What is the current environmental emergency situation?
The current environmental situation is critical and requires urgent changes in our consumption habits. I believe the key areas are the following: Accelerated climate change: The UN recently warned that, unless drastic measures are taken, the world will face a temperature increase between 2.6°C and 3.1°C by the end of this century, with severe consequences for the planet and humanity.
Loss of biodiversity: We are experiencing what is called the “sixth mass extinction.” Each year, thousands of species go extinct due to habitat destruction, overexploitation of natural resources, and climate change.
Water crisis: Currently, around 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water, and this number is expected to rise if measures are not taken.
Waste and plastic pollution: Millions of tons of plastic end up in the oceans every year, affecting marine life and contaminating the food chain. Furthermore, recycling of plastics remains insufficient.
Why is it urgent to change our consumption?
“By consuming less and more responsibly, we reduce our carbon footprint and lessen the pressure on ecosystems and natural resources.”
A circular economy model must be urgently implemented, promoting the efficient use of resources and extending the life cycle of products, which reduces the need for new raw materials and decreases waste. Companies must lead the change, and consumers can incentivize businesses to pursue more sustainable solutions. Changing our consumption habits is one of the most effective ways each of us can help slow down the environmental crisis on a personal level. And all of us who work in companies and lead teams must be consistent and make decisions that quickly help to reverse this situation.
To date, how are you raising consumer awareness about more ethical and sustainable fashion, and what projects do you have in this regard? I believe it requires a combination of education, transparency, and commitment to values that promote respect for the environment and human rights. We operate differently from fast-fashion brands that invest large marketing budgets to communicate their collections. At Ocean Born, all the money we generate is donated to the ocean, so it is essential that our website, social media, and the work you, journalists, do to give visibility to our work help the public get to know us.
Through Lifestyle, we encourage responsible consumption without pushing for more purchases if unnecessary. In Tailored by Ocean Born, we provide our clients with an Impact Report with their products, showing them the impact they have managed to achieve.
Words : Marisa Selfa / Anne-Sophie Castro
Photos : Ocean Born Foundation
