Former Coronation Street star Arianna Ajtar has gone from Bolton to boutiques
Arianna Ajtar played Olivia Radfield on Coronation Street in 2018 and 2019.(Image: Arianna Ajtar)
Former Corrie star Arianna Ajtar has travelled a long way from Weatherfield – she’s now dressing Hollywood star Khloe Kardashian. She launched her own clothing brand while in the soap, famous for its own Underworld clothing firm, and she’s now hit the big time.
This weekend the Mars The Label founder shared a snap of the reality TV queen on social media and told fans: “Khloe Kardashian a certified MARS girl. Wearing the Sandra capri jumpsuit in polka dot.” Khloe was also snapped out and about in the US in the £66 outfit.
Ambitious Arianna, 30, launched her first collection from her dad’s living room in Bolton. Her fashion empire now has a multi-million pound turn over each year and is a decade old. Arianna, who played Olivia Radfield on Coronation Street in 2018 and 2019, created Mars The Label as a teenager after noticing a gap in the market for going out clothes.
She said: “My friends and I would find ourselves searching online for endless hours for pieces that weren’t on the market. This inspired me to launch a brand where I designed the clothes we were searching for.”
The money she saved to launch the brand, just £3,000, came from working two jobs. She worked at the Perfume Shop in the Trafford Centre in Manchester and at a jewellery shop in Bury while also commuting to Liverpool University, where she pursued a degree in acting. The hard work paid off and Mars The Label became an overnight success, so much so that she had to drop out of university to follow her dreams.
Luckily, she had the support of her loving father who helped her along the way. She said: “My dad initially wanted me to continue with my education into university but he prioritises my happiness and has wholeheartedly supported me no matter what.
“I am grateful beyond words to have been raised by a dad who never tried to make me be someone I am not or go down a path I don’t feel passionate about. Northern grit cannot and will never be beaten. We are grafters to the core and know the true meaning of community.
“A lot of fashion brands start and fail because they either lack authenticity or the top brass of the companies are not tuned into what their customer base wants.
“If you are intentionally offering something alternative with the sole purpose of reaching new audiences, this wipes your authenticity,” Arianna said. “If you are chasing trends with the sole purpose of keeping up, you will always be behind. Staying true to myself and to who Mars is and what she is to our girls is what has kept us ahead of the market with constant growth.”
Mars The Label offers pieces in sizes four to 20, which is often not the case at the brand’s competitors. Arianna said: “Fashion has become more thoughtful and caters to a much more diverse range of body types than it once did.
“Another thing I have noticed and appreciated is how much more conscious customers are now. Society has started to understand the importance of well-designed fashion and have started to invest in pieces rather than buying low quality clothes they’ll only wear once.”
The business now operates from its HQ in the centre of Bolton, employing a team of more than two dozen people. She added: “By remaining in Bolton, I have acquired the most talented team in the industry so I have had no motivation or desire to relocate.”
It hasn’t all been smooth sailing, however, with the brand having to overcome its fair share of obstacles over the last decade. Recently, the evolving tariffs with the US has been difficult. Arianna explained: “As a smaller business that has focused so hard on global growth over the last year, we have pushed through to find a resolution and are really excited to open a warehouse in the US this year.”
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