In Practice with Meme Marta Fagiuoli
Meme Marta Fagiuoli has spent her career at the intersection of fashion, craft, and care — first as a designer at Stine Goya and Samsøe Samsøe, now as founder of her own label, Rekhale, and co-owner of Casamadre, her Copenhagen restaurant. But it was motherhood, and a real bout of postpartum brain fog, that taught her the most about nourishment: not as a trend, but as a daily practice of patience, rituals, and paying attention to what her body and mind actually need. We talked with her about creativity, consistency, and the quiet role food plays in holding it all together.
Who are you today, and how did you become this version of you?
Today I am more confident than I have ever been, yet more curious than ever.
I have always had a very strong need to determine my own path. When I first read about this concept in bell hooks’s writing, it really stuck with me. But I guess with experience and motherhood, everything expands. I guess when the LOVE in your life expands, we expand with it: our best and most predominant qualities simply refine and become stronger. Today I love more intensely.
I like to be in my mind and examine my behaviours, and I can be very critical of myself. I have no sense of competition toward others at all, but I have a very strong need to be good for myself, to myself, and for the person I aspire to be. But honestly, I am blessed with the love and friendships of my husband, my brother, and my chosen family. They are generous with their love and guide me in evolving. My children are the most transformative love I have ever experienced—they definitely led me toward the person I am today, and I am grateful to them.
I am a Fashion Director and Creative Consultant. I founded my brand, Rekhale, a womenswear brand rooted in my passion for women, their bodies, Mediterranean heritage, craft excellence, and aesthetics, as well as Casamadre, an Italian restaurant in Copenhagen. I run both businesses with Riccardo, my husband.
Many creatives speak about “brain fog” or burnout without realizing the role nutrition plays. What signals has your body taught you to listen to over time?
I experienced it in an intense way after having my second child. My brain could not retain much. I felt I had no control. I decided I needed to truly dedicate time to my new self—I felt detached from my body and mind. I took some months off. I cut down on work and dedicated time to myself with patience, something I had never had before and still do not excel at. I created rituals such as a walk, a podcast, a nice long shower, and better food—my morning moka coffee with Neo Ultimate Foundation. I could start feeling my thoughts and ideas coming in again so strongly and clearly. It was a magical feeling. That’s when Rekhale was born.
Why did you start Rekhale?
It was time to start something of my own. I craved having a completely personal creative outlet and building a business on my own terms. I wished for a meaningful creative practice where relationships are cherished, whether with a supplier, artisan, client, or collaborator, and where culture, aesthetics, design, art, traditions, and history can be intertwined and inform each other. Kindness and respect are foundational values.
I spent a lot of time researching incredibly talented factories and artisans to help me develop the items I had in mind. I spent many, many hours refining products, trying again, and improving them. I am very proud of the beautiful pieces we are creating and the meaning and heritage they carry with them.
When did you open Casamadre, and why? Its food is rooted in care and intention.
We opened Casamadre in autumn 2021. We wanted to put our energy into our own business, whether in hospitality or fashion. A few weeks afterward, we found out that some friends were selling the space that would later become Casamadre. Without dwelling too much on it, we bought it and started the business.
My husband has run it with such incredible dedication and care, and I am in full awe of him. Care is the foundation of the place: care for our colleagues, our guests, the produce and suppliers we choose, and the way we prepare food and feed people. We serve simple, genuine food, and it is delicious—but the most common comment we get from guests is that they feel there is such good energy in the space. That’s what we wanted.
How does this philosophy translate into daily choices—especially when life becomes demanding?
My family and I are very spontaneous—read: not very structured 😝. We roll with life, but I think the foundation we share is that if we do something, we do it with care and intention, trying to have fun. Most of the time, it works, and if it gets messy, tomorrow is a new day to give it another try.
You’re drawn to thinkers and are part of the Neo community, whose members analyze invisible patterns.
Do you see nutrition as one of those quiet systems—working in the background, shaping energy, mood, and resilience?
Oh, totally. Food makes us. My husband is very passionate about healthy, real, nutrient-dense food—for himself, me, our children, and the guests at the restaurant. Food is so powerful.
Show us a favorite piece of yours and describe why.
OHHHH, now that is an impossible question. I am going to go with something I designed. I made this impeccable shirt with a master tailor in Italy. Shirts have always been my thing.
It has an oversized dropped shoulder, a yoke and box pleat, loose cuffs, and is made of the best Italian poplin. The sleeves are abundant and voluminous. It has the precision, sturdiness, and impeccable sartorial finishing that I love, so it looks great with anything. It truly is the perfect shirt, and I have it in many colours and patterns. It will soon drop for Rekhale. I am so excited. I called it Marta, my legal name.
As a creative consultant, consistency matters. What role does steady nourishment—rather than extremes—play in maintaining long-term focus and performance?
For me, what is really important is taking breaks. My brain and creativity can run very fast. I can study situations quickly and am very quick at making decisions. But I can feel that this requires a great deal of energy.
I can have intense three-, four-, or five-hour sessions, but afterward, I need a time-out. I need some nourishment and water. During those long fashion photo-shoot sessions, I am always the one reminding everyone to drink water, and I am always asking whether the model, photographer, or anyone else on the team needs a break or a snack. I can tell immediately when someone around me, or I myself, needs nourishment.
Wellness trends promise fast results, but they rarely last. How do you personally choose solutions that feel intelligent, supportive, and sustainable?
If achieving a fast result can spark the beginning of a healthier long-term routine, then that’s great. I am not someone who cares about trends when it comes to my personal choices.
For example, my body has changed a lot since I gave birth to my second child. I gained quite a bit of weight and had little energy compared to my usual standards. I am a person with a lot of energy, perseverance, and endurance, but in a calm way. I didn’t necessarily care too much about weighing 10–15 kilos more than I was used to. I felt I needed to get strong again and that I needed my energy back.
I know that takes time and has to be a holistic process. I started training with an excellent trainer and explained very honestly how I felt and what I wanted to achieve. As a mother, it is often difficult to put ourselves first, but I know how important self-love is, so I try to give it time—whether through food, a friend, a walk with a good podcast, or moving my body.
It takes patience. The reality is that the time I can dedicate to these rituals is limited, with work, life, and children. But I am not interested in fast results; I am interested in foundations and intentions. They take time.
What drew you to Neo, and where do you feel the difference?
Neo is perfect because it gives you exactly this foundation in nutrient form to start the day. I have made it part of my morning ritual. I take my second coffee of the day after dropping my kids off at school. I sit by myself in the kitchen, make a moka coffee, add rice-coconut milk and Neo Foundation, and enjoy 10–15 minutes calling my mother, scrolling through Instagram, or reading an article.
The combination of the nutrients from Neo and the ritual connected to it makes a difference in the way my day starts.
Many people eat “well” yet still feel depleted. Why do you think modern lifestyles require deeper, more functional nutritional support today?
Food alone cannot solve it all. Food should be the foundation for your mind and body, but you need to support it with habits.
Going back to bell hooks’s teachings, she argues that love is not just something you feel but an ongoing practice in which you consciously choose to nourish yourself, take responsibility for your well-being, and live intentionally.
I wish there were more focus on food and nutrition in educational systems. I feel very lucky to be from Italy, where the Mediterranean diet is part of our everyday life. You learn about seasonality, combinations of ingredients, and the freshness of produce. But it is very much knowledge passed down through families rather than institutions. I would like to see this change.
When I need a good breakfast before training or an intense day, I love to prepare this bowl for myself:
- Frozen banana, rice-coconut milk, and açaí powder—blend them in a mixer.
- Add kiwi or other seasonal fresh fruit, a spoonful of roasted almond butter, dried coconut flakes, and a sprinkle of NEO Foundation on top.
I love how Neo adds an earthy, grounding flavor to it.
How do you feel that art and creativity are connected with high-vibration living?
I am no expert in high vibrations, but I do believe strongly in the power of art and creativity in terms of self-expression. I think it is very sad that these are not predominant subjects in educational systems.
Both Riccardo and I are very creative. He is musical, while I am visual, and we share a good tactile connection through textiles, craft, and food. I make it a point to give my children the tools and spaces to be creative. Through their completely genuine, innate sense of self-expression, you can see how truly powerful creativity is.
Nico, my eldest, loves to paint. He is six and is so clear in his expression. He uses art both to have a moment of reflection and calm and as a more instinctual, uncontrolled outlet, as well as a gift for others.
Nori, our little one, seems to be more musical. He loves when Riccardo plays. It’s fascinating how different and specific their personal styles are. In this sense, you can really see that it comes from within them, that it is unique, and that it should be cherished.
If expressing your authentic self connects you to high vibrations, then I’m all for it.
NeoNutritions focuses on supporting the body at a cellular level. How does the idea of strengthening systems beneath the surface, combining body and spirit, resonate with your approach to life and work?
I love that. To me, there is no separation between any of it. If I think about it, our mind is part of our body, which needs nourishment, and only if we are well-nourished can we channel that good energy into our lives, relationships, practices, and work. It is a huge privilege to be able to nourish yourself and the people around you.
If someone feels tired, unfocused, or disconnected, or has a creative block, what would you suggest they rethink first: motivation, discipline, or nourishment?
I would always say, “Drink a glass of water, and either go for a walk or call or meet your mother, sister, friend, partner, or brother.” Get that love and laughter.