As we enter the final month of Q1, Mel is reflecting back on our first quarter representing fashion talent. It has been an outrageously successful few months and we have some wins to share.
In December 2025, I tasked Mariella Cunningham with growing, from the ground up, a new fashion roster. This was a big new step for 86 – but confident we could succeed with fashion as we had done with home – I felt Mariella was the right person for the role. However, I have been completely blown away by how quickly, and with such impact, she has grown her roster. We now have 10 influencers primarily focusing on fashion, as the roster has continued to grow through Q1. But as we near the end of that first quarter, now felt like the perfect time to reflect back on how our very first fashion influencers are getting on.
A handful of our fashion roster have now been with us for a full three months, having joined in December. Let’s take a closer look at how the OGs are getting on…
Imi, otherwise known as @imi___studios, was spotted early by Mariella. Her potential was clear; with a gift for content creation and talent both in front of and behind the camera, Imi really stood out.
Imi’s creative genius never ceases to amaze me, and she recently went live with one of my favourite campaigns to date: Wendys x Fashion Week x Imi Evans
Here’s what Imi has to say about working with Mariella:
“Mariella is without question an exceptional manager and someone who has had a transformative impact on my career. She has worked tirelessly to secure opportunities for me and is deeply invested in helping her talent grow.
Her passion for what she does is undeniable. She is constantly sharing inspiration and ideas, even outside of working hours. She’s also taken the time to truly understand my goals, aesthetic and creative direction. That level of care and commitment is incredibly rare and makes such a difference.
Mariella is also an outstanding communicator. Whenever we work with brands, I feel completely confident and supported. She has a natural instinct for knowing exactly what to say in any situation and handles every interaction with professionalism and ease.
On a personal level, she is just as impressive. Having spent time with her during Fashion Week, I can confidently say she is a kind and genuine person.
She creates an environment where you feel valued and supported at all times. Despite managing multiple talents, she has an amazing ability to make you feel like her sole focus.”
Caroline, known as @fabfatand40plus, joined the fashion roster for it’s initial launch. We were keen to represent a broad range of talent, appealing to wide and varying demographics and Caroline’s warmth and relatability was something both Mariella and I were instantly drawn to. Caroline’s first few months at the agency have been a resounding success!
Here’s Caroline’s thoughts on working with Mariella:
“I’ve had an excellent experience working with Mariella. Although I’ve only been with the agency for a few months, she has already made a significant impact. From the very beginning, she has been proactive, supportive, and genuinely invested in helping me progress in my career. Thanks to her dedication and strong industry connections, I’ve been able to secure more opportunities and consistently stay busy with quality work.
What really stands out is her communication – she’s always clear, responsive, and keeps me well-informed. She also takes the time to understand my strengths and the direction I want to grow in, which makes a huge difference in the types of roles she puts me forward for.
Beyond just finding jobs, she offers great advice and encouragement, which has helped build my confidence and professionalism. I truly feel like she’s in my corner and wants the best for me.
I’m very grateful to have her as my agent and would highly recommend her to anyone looking for someone who is hardworking, reliable, and genuinely cares about their clients’ success.”
Our very first sign to the fashion roster, Lara took a leap of faith joining this new department and goodness me, am I glad she did! I love her! Lara’s hilarious content series with ‘The Neighbours’ has taken TikTok by storm, and been spotted by a number of brands keen to jump on this hilarious ‘roast’ style content from a pair of charming, elderly East Londoners. A highlight has to be securing Burberry for The Neighbours series. It went viral, with over 80,000 likes on TikTok.
Molly’s content is that delicious, wholesome, relatable content that is hugely popular at the moment. Sharing every day outfit inspo that is actually wearable in real life has made her an instant Instagram hit. Molly has recently secured a long term partnership with Tu clothing. We reached out to Tu after Molly shared products organically; this clearly put her on their radar and is testament to the power of sharing real life, organic content in securing partnerships.
Molly’s thoughts on working with Mariella:
“Working with Mariella Cunningham has been such a positive experience. She’s incredibly supportive, always takes the time to listen, and answers all of my (sometimes very basic!) questions without ever making me feel silly.
I genuinely feel like she’s always in my corner, cheering me on and celebrating every win right alongside me. Content creation can be quite isolating, but since joining 86, I’ve felt anything but.
Mariella’s knowledge feels endless, and she gives you complete confidence that you’re in the best hands.”
I have been blown away by the early successes from our fashion roster and feel incredibly proud of what we have achieved. But moreover, I am incredibly grateful to Mariella for her hard work and dedication to making this new arm of our business a success. I knew we would be good at this, but honestly, I hadn’t expected it to be this good.
I am constantly telling Mariella to switch her phone off, but she usually just replies and says:
