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Zrinka Ljevar Marelić
Episode · #312

POSLOVNA ŽENA Zrinka Ljevar Marelić

Guest Zrinka Ljevar MarelićHosted by Marijana MatkovićMay 3, 2026
About this episode
What you'll hear in this conversation

Zrinka Ljevar Marelić began her career far from the world of luxury hospitality design, first as a dental technician, then in food biotechnology. Yet, it was this unconventional background that honed her keen eye and tactile sense, preparing her for a business where material feel and visual precision are paramount. Today, as the director of The Fabric, she crafts bespoke menus and wine lists for Croatia's most discerning restaurants and hotels, elevating a simple item into a statement of brand identity. She shares how her transition — from a corporate role to building a design house with her creative husband — showed her that the most valuable skills are often developed long before you know their purpose. Readers will consider how their own seemingly unrelated experiences might be their most valuable asset.

Insights from the conversation
What to take from this episode
01
Zrinka's training as a dental technician, which demanded a keen eye and precise handwork, laid the foundation for her design business. The skills that make you indispensable in one field often prove to be your most unique advantage when you pivot into a completely different one.
02
Her husband, Denis, observed her passion for selling others' products and challenged her directly: "How long will you sell someone else's product? Let's make something you can sell." The impetus to build your own brand often comes from someone else recognizing your capabilities and pushing you beyond your comfort zone.
03
In their partnership, Denis "flits around the sky" with creative ideas, while Zrinka grounds the business, handling finance and client relations, joking "I have the stick" for collections. A clear division of labor, where one co-founder creates and the other manages the money, is often the most effective way to translate vision into revenue.
04
The Fabric offers a "key in hand" service, handling everything from a client's visual identity to material selection, translations, and final delivery. In a crowded market, differentiation comes from absorbing the client's entire problem, not just selling a product, making their experience seamless.
05
Zrinka states, "We have competition, but not competition that truly competes with us." When your service extends beyond the product to encompass full client care and a consultative approach, you elevate your offering beyond direct price comparison and operate in a different league.
06
The company uses delicate materials like velvet or silk, which can be "sensitive" in high-traffic restaurants, and imports them because local options don't meet her standards. A truly premium product demands an uncompromising commitment to material quality, even when it means higher costs or extra care from the client.
07
"When you sit down in a restaurant, you get a menu. That menu tells you everything," Zrinka says. It's not merely an itemized list; it's the first physical impression, signaling the establishment's care for cleanliness, freshness, and overall guest experience.
08
After creating their first sample price list, Denis playfully threatened to "hit her with it" if she didn't find a use for it, prompting Zrinka to secure her first major restaurant client. Even a finished product sometimes needs a direct, external challenge to transition from an idea to a commercial success.
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