Marcela Meignan Refuses To Be Confined To One Genre
When it comes to fashion, entrepreneurship and music, no one is as well-versed as Marcela Meignan. While attending school in Milan, Marcela learned the ins and outs of communication, culture and the art of journalism. We got the chance to catch up with Marcela to learn about her roots and what to expect from her musically in 2026. Keep reading below to learn all about her!
FEATURE INTERVIEW:
You come from a publishing background and fashion creative of TheArsenale. Tell us how you began your journey as an artist.
I actually didn’t come to music from a traditional “artist” path. I come from publishing, storytelling, and fashion culture. As Editor-in-Chief of Regia Magazine and Creative Director at TheArsenale, I’ve always worked with narratives — building worlds, identities, and emotions through images, objects, and experiences.
Music arrived very organically, almost as a necessity. At a certain point, words, visuals, and fashion weren’t enough to express everything I was living and observing. Music became a more visceral language — more direct, more physical. It allowed me to speak from a place that was less curated and more instinctive.
My artistic journey started when I stopped separating my creative roles. I realized that music, fashion, publishing, and performance are not different disciplines for me — they’re all part of the same ecosystem. Music is just the most intimate layer of that universe.
What genre of music would your music fall into?
My music sits between trap and reggaeton, but it’s not confined to one genre. It’s built on a balance between femininity and power, and I naturally move between languages — English, French, and Spanish. For me, it feels very futuristic. I love collaborating with a new generation of Chilean sound designers and beatmakers, bringing their raw, experimental energy into dialogue with my reggaeton roots and the elegance of the French language. The result is a sound that feels global, hybrid, and forward-looking.
Name some artists that have influenced you over the years.
From the very beginning, Jennifer Lopez was a huge influence for me. What really drew me to her was that very defined Latin identity — the large hoop earrings, the bronze glow, the confidence. She embodied a powerful, unapologetic femininity. Growing up, Shakira was also a major reference for me in my early years, especially for the way she dance.
More recently, over the last five years, artists like Bad Gyal have been a big source of inspiration. I really connect with the Spanish trap scene. From Chile, Paloma Mami has influenced me a lot, both musically and visually, and from France I’m very inspired by Shay her presence is almost the only woman doing rap in France.
I’ve also been deeply inspired by artists I’ve had the chance to meet and work with through my editorial projects — women like Mala Rodríguez and La Zowi. Being able to shoot them, and became friends. See their creative process up close gave me a deeper understanding of their independence and artistic power.
What do you love most about fashion?
It’s ability to let you change roles while feeling confident. That moment of styling — when you put something on and it truly feels like it belongs to you — is what made me fall in love with fashion in the first place. It’s about identity, ownership, and self expression. I also love experiencing fashion from the inside. Being at events, parties, and shows, and being close to people who shape the industry — figures like Anna Dello Russo or designers such as Alexandre Vauthier — gives you a very different perspective. I do think fashion is a bit overrated today, but at its core, it’s still about freedom. It’s about allowing yourself to feel confident, to explore different styles, and to move between identities without limits.
As the Creative Direction of TheArsenale tell us how you get inspired for designing each collection and campaign?
My main source of inspiration for TheArsenale is real life. The way we live, travel, and move through the world. We’re constantly between places like Macau, Dubai, and Doha, and every destination brings a different culture, a different DNA, a different energy rooted in the present moment. I draw inspiration from what I experience firsthand — Japanese aesthetics, Middle Eastern culture, the rhythm of cities, the people we meet. All of that naturally feeds into the collections and campaigns. Life itself is the starting point.
From there, the process becomes more structured: an idea turns into a mood board, then into a concept, and eventually into graphic design. That’s when I work closely with my team to refine and translate those lived experiences into something cohesive, polished, and aligned with TheArsenale’s universe.
TheArsenale has evolved from a mobility design lab into a cultural hub. When you design a concept store or a run of show, what is the quintessential “TheArsenale mood,”
With my husband, we’re always designing the concept stores or the runway shows together — everything is created as a duo. I would say the TheArsenale mood is about velocity, risk, mobility, and racing. We also always say it feels like an army — that collective energy. So the mood is very sport, army, and racing-oriented.
As you mentioned, TheArsenale has evolved from a mobility design lab into a cultural hub. We’re about to celebrate ten years, which is very important for us. It’s been ten years of huge success, incredible opportunities, stores around the world, collaborations, and campaigns — not only for ourselves, but also for other automotive brands in France and internationally.
To celebrate this, we’re creating a book for 2026, where we’ll revisit our manifestos, all the shootings, campaigns, and stores we’ve created over the years. It’s going to be something very special — almost a masterpiece. TheArsenale has become a love brand for many people, and this book will allow them to better understand our universe and gather everything we’ve built throughout these years.
If you could summon one dream collaboration or project for 2026, what would it look like, and which creative landscape would that be in? Music or Fashion?
I think my dream collaboration project for 2026 would definitely be in fashion, with TheArsenale. I would love to collaborate with brands like Salomon and design a sneaker, something very technical, like a techwear piece. That’s something I really aim for. Also, a collaboration with a brand like Kappa would be super cool — maybe a Formula One– inspired drop. That’s something I would really love to do this year, and of course I’m working a lot toward making that happen.
What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?
If I could give advice to my 20-year-old self, I would tell her to listen to her body earlier and protect her clarity. To understand that you don’t need to escape yourself to feel creative or free. At the same time, I don’t live with regrets. Every phase of my life taught me something, and I’m deeply grateful for the journey. Growth is also about knowing when to let things go — and trusting that becoming clearer, more present, and more aligned is always a form of power.
Can we expect any collaborations with any other artist on your EP?
Yes. My next EP will be a 5 song compilation with collaborations with Mala Rodriguez, a Spanish female rapper song named AGUAS INTERNACIONALES, that we recorded in the south of France. Also UN NUIT DE PLUS with Chilean artist Lizz Lov3. Another song called CORTE DE MODELO featuring Juliano Sosa reguetón and trap artist from Chile song we recorded in Chile with producer Fran C.
And WHO IS THE FOOL NOW with French Football player Paul Pogba under the name of Spicy P, and last a solo song by myself which is a trap named YOU’VE GOT ME CALLING.
Leave us with a quote for greatness to inspire that young Chilean girl reading this.
Dream big, move fast, and never ask permission to become who you already are.
TEAM CREDITS:
Editor-in-Chief: Prince Chenoa
Feature Editor: Taylor Winter Wilson (@taylorwinter)
Photographer: Diego Armando Mendoza (@diegoarmandome)
Retoucher: Paola Parra (@paolaparrap)
Makeup Artist & Hair Stylist: Alberto Boggeri (@albertoboggeri)
Producer: Delfina Martinez
