SLOW LIVING: Q&A WITH ANA MARIA BURS, CREATOR AND INTERIOR DESIGNER

Since the formation of The Collaborative Store, ethical fashion was our core category and it remains our most covered topic. We are constantly learning about what truly ethical fashion entails and love to share our knowledge with you. Working with like-minded industry professionals and sharing stories are powerful tools and an incomparable source of inspiration.

This time we meet beautiful Ana Maria Burs aka MARI, a consciously minded content creator, photographer, interior designer and slow living advocate. We chat to Ana Maria about her style, routine and daily life hacks. She also reviews our mindfully curated range, picks and beautifully captures her favourite pieces. 

1. Tell us about yourself, where is home?

I’m an interior designer, self-taught photographer and content creator. I’ve been creative in various ways ever since I was a child — that’s why in my work as a creator I love to play different roles, both in front of and behind the camera. I enjoy being in and experiencing nature, so I’m learning to live more consciously and awaken to the beauty that is around me.

Home is where I can be 100% myself in all regards. I feel deeply lucky to have found a partner who understands my spirit and inspires me to do better. Right now, home is where we live, but we are yet to find that one true place where we belong.





2. How would you describe your day to day style?

My style is simple, laid-back, and loose. I favour baggy silhouettes, so I focus on details and materials to create balance.


3. Your images capture life and fashion in the most beautiful way. Where do you find inspiration and how do you plan your shoots?

Thank you! I try to keep an open mind and seek inspiration in anything around me. Looking at or interacting with certain people, being in nature or in a place I’ve never been before always boosts my creative output. But what I’m most inspired by is simplicity and beauty that is often overlooked. I love to capture the simple beauty that most people don’t seem to always recognize.

I take most of my casual photos during our weekend adventures, without much planning but my outfits. For commercial projects I plan more thoroughly and think in advance about the mood or styling I want to achieve, I research locations to see what type of background works best, and most definitely pray for good weather.





4. Do you have any wellness or beauty tips that you are following?

I’m not an expert in wellness and beauty, but I did create a simple routine that helps me recharge and refresh — an evening per week dedicated to self-pampering, with a long, steamy bath, followed by a facial self-massage, a manicure and pedicure, all while listening to relaxing podcasts and sipping herbal tea. That’s my kind of Saturday night fun. Oh, and I keep my daily skincare routine extremely simple and chemical-free.


5. Any advice on living a more sustainable life and shopping ethically?

Simply think before you buy. Be more conscious about why you are buying something and how you are selecting that item. Try to look into the sustainability and ethics credentials of who you are buying from. And while you ask who made your clothes, ask who made your food, or where your rubbish goes. As soon as you start asking yourself questions, you start the process of becoming more mindful and living more sustainably.





6. What are your favourite pieces on The Collaborative Store?

My favourite ones are the Laumes sweater (I opted for Petite size) which I cannot wait to wear again in autumn, the Eriko trousers and the Fina dress which make the perfect pieces no matter the season, and everything in the lifestyle department.