Moda de la Maria, founded by designer and maker Maria Ruseva in 2013, specialises in distinctive made-to-order womenswear handcrafted in London. The brand uses natural, high-quality fabrics such as British wool and tweed, silk, and cashmere.
Focused on craftsmanship rather than mass production, the independent label grew from Maria’s passion for making clothes by hand and her belief that fashion should be personal, thoughtful, and durable.
Maria remains involved in every stage of the process, from designing and pattern cutting to fittings and finishing each garment. Instead of producing large collections, Moda de la Maria offers made-to-order and small-run pieces, fostering a closer relationship between the designer and her customers.
After a nationwide search, Moda de la Maria was selected as one of the Nation’s Favourite Businesses for 2026, a new initiative from the Small Business Saturday campaign that replaces its previous SmallBiz100 list.
The chosen businesses will be highlighted during the countdown to Small Business Saturday on 5 December 2026, which encourages people across the UK to support independent local businesses.
Maria said: Being named one of the Nation’s Favourite Businesses feels incredibly special because Moda de la Maria has been a very personal journey for me. I started the brand in 2013 with my own hands, my skills as a designer and maker, and a belief that beautiful clothes should have more meaning than simply following a season or trend.
“I have built the business step by step while continuing to design, cut patterns, fit and make garments myself here in London. As a small independent designer, there is no large team behind the scenes – I am closely involved in every stage, and every customer and every order genuinely matters.”
There have been challenges along the way, but I have stayed committed to creating fashion differently: in small quantities, with beautiful natural materials and with the human craftsmanship behind each piece still visible.
To now see Moda de la Maria recognised nationally as one of the Nation’s Favourite Businesses is a wonderful milestone. For me, it also recognises the independent makers who keep traditional skills alive and all the small businesses that continue to build something they believe in, even when the journey is not easy.
I hope this opportunity helps more people discover Moda de la Maria and reminds them that when they support a small business, they are supporting a real person, their skills, their livelihood and their dream.
Michelle Ovens CBE, Director of Small Business Saturday UK, said: “Small businesses have always been, and will continue to be, among the nation’s favourite businesses. Whether on our high streets, online or embedded in local communities, they play a vital role in the places we live and in the strength of our economy.”
This year’s Nation Favourite Businesses are a true representation of the UK’s most-loved small businesses. From independent, family-run cafés and local restaurants, to makers, services and traders, they showcase the incredible diversity of the UK’s small business community.
Small Business Saturday is a grassroots, non-commercial campaign celebrating small-business success and encouraging consumers to support businesses in their communities. Launched in the UK in 2013, this year’s Small Business Saturday takes place on 5 December 2026.
Moda de la Maria has previously been shortlisted for the Drapers Conscious Fashion Awards 2025 and Small Business Awards UK 2025, recognised by Small Business Britain’s f:Entrepreneur #iAlso100, and named a LUXlife award winner in 2025 and 2026.
