BELLE Has Always Been Personal And That’s Why It Works

Annabelle Noelle on Nostalgia, Storytelling, and the Timeless Essence of her brand BELLE

When I first came across BELLE years ago, something about it felt deeply personal—like stumbling upon an old photograph that instantly transports you to a certain time, a certain feeling. The brand, founded by Annabelle Noelle, carries a quiet nostalgia that weaves through every collection, blending sentimentality with modern ease. Intrigued by the story behind it, I sat down with Annabelle to uncover the inspiration, the process, and the vision that brought BELLE to life.

Annabelle greets me with the kind of warmth that immediately makes you feel like an old friend. She speaks about BELLE with a sense of ease, as if the brand naturally unfolded rather than being meticulously planned. What began in 2018 as a small creative project quickly grew into something bigger.

“I was in college, studying film, constantly experimenting with different creative forms. One summer, I traveled to Bali and wanted to make a few custom pieces for myself and my friends. That’s where it started. I found a small, sustainable factory that I connected with, and suddenly, what was just a personal project turned into something real.”

She confesses that she knew nothing about production or running a brand, but that was never the point. “I didn’t set out to ‘start a label.’ I just wanted to create.” Her first designs—simple swimwear inspired by her upbringing along the California coast—gained unexpected traction. Encouraged by the response, she kept going, bringing in two of her best friends and, eventually, a team of like-minded creatives from across the world. “BELLE has matured with me. As I’ve grown, so has the brand. It’s an extension of my experiences, my emotions, and my intuition.”

When I ask Annabelle what influences her work, she doesn’t talk about seasonal trends or forecasting. Instead, she talks about moments—the quiet, fleeting ones that stay with you. “I’ve always been deeply nostalgic,” she admits with a smile. “Some might think that means I live in the past, but to me, memories bring me into the present. They remind me to feel things deeply.” I find myself nodding in agreement. It’s a sentiment that not only resonates with me personally but also mirrors the feeling I get from BELLE.

This emotional pull is embedded in every BELLE collection. Her latest, Perennials, is a love letter to resilience and renewal, inspired by a childhood ritual with her mother—visiting a rose garden and documenting the different hues and scents. “One day, I found an old home video of myself, maybe seven years old, explaining to my dad why perennials were special—how they always come back, no matter what. That idea of quiet persistence stayed with me.” This collection, designed to be worn across seasons, mirrors that sense of continuity.

For Annabelle, BELLE is about creating a world, one that unfolds through fabric, color, and light.

“I see the brand as an evolving universe,” she says. “The collections, the photography, the campaigns—they all have to work together to create something immersive. My background in film makes me think about fashion cinematically. I want BELLE to feel like a story you can step into.”

This idea of storytelling has been at the heart of BELLE from the beginning. What began as a personal creative outlet naturally evolved into something bigger—yet it has never lost its ease or authenticity. “I didn’t really realize what I was setting out to do at first. It was carefree and fun—not calculated at all. I had wanted to go to fashion school in New York, but I couldn’t afford it. In hindsight, I’m grateful. Staying outside the traditional fashion industry allowed me to keep my vision lucid.”

I find this sentiment deeply inspiring. It’s easy to believe that success requires a clear-cut path, a formal education, or industry connections. But Annabelle’s journey proves otherwise. Her story is a reminder that intuition and passion can be just as powerful. She embraces uncertainty not as a setback, but as a way to carve out her own path. And maybe that’s why BELLE resonates so deeply—it’s built on authenticity, the joy of creating, and the power of trusting your instincts.

Because BELLE was never meant to fit into a rigid mold, it continues to evolve in unexpected ways. “Right now, I’m really drawn to scent, and I love that I can explore that within BELLE rather than having to start a new brand. That’s the beauty of it—there are no rules.” This sense of freedom—creating instinctively, following curiosity—echoes through every part of BELLE, from its designs to its ethos.

That same instinctual approach extends to sustainability. Annabelle believes creating thoughtfully should be second nature, rather than a forced industry standard. “We were raised in a society that tells us making money is the goal, but when you strip that away, it’s obvious—creating thoughtfully, being conscious of impact, that’s what feels right.”

BELLE embraces a slow, considered approach. “There’s always pressure to produce more, to scale faster. But I’d rather say no to things that don’t feel right and focus on longevity. I don’t want BELLE to be a ‘moment’—I want it to last.”

Some pieces feel especially true to BELLE’s essence. “From our SS25 collection, the Flore Dress feels especially true to BELLE. It’s made from semi-sheer, glowing tencel, lined with the softest jersey. When I look at it, I think: light, fresh, airy, dreamy, effortless. That’s the essence I want BELLE to embody.”

But beyond the clothes, Annabelle attributes the brand’s strength to the people behind it. “You can’t do this alone. The team understands the message. They’re a part of this just as much as I am.”

Looking ahead, Annabelle is energized by what’s to come. “We just launched SS25, and later this year, we’ll introduce our first AW collection. We’re also planning in-person shopping experiences and a presentation, which I can’t wait for.” Expanding BELLE beyond digital spaces feels like a natural next step—an evolution that remains rooted in the brand’s emotional core.

Yet, despite the excitement of growth, she remains deeply attuned to the quieter moments that fuel her creativity. “I’m always asking questions, absorbing everything. Sometimes I feel uninspired, then one tiny, weird thing—like the way a curtain moves in the wind—will set me off on a whole new creative spiral.” It’s this kind of attentiveness to the world around her that has shaped BELLE from the very beginning, she explains.

Balancing ambition with presence is something she’s learned over time. “If I need to reset, I turn my phone off for the weekend. I read, swim in the ocean, just exist. Being fully present is the greatest luxury.” In many ways, this philosophy extends into the clothes she creates—pieces that feel effortless yet intentional, designed to be lived in rather than just worn.

Before we part ways, I ask what she hopes people feel when they wear BELLE. She pauses, considering her answer.

“I hope it feels like stepping into a memory—something soft, familiar, but also new. Like the kind of nostalgia that doesn’t hold you back but makes you love the present even more.”

To me that’s exactly what wearing BELLE feels like—there’s an ease to the clothes, an unspoken familiarity, as if they were made for a version of yourself you haven’t met yet, but somehow already know.