2025 JULY ISSUE
FASHION QUOTE
MARINE SERRE
“Fashion as Renewal”
Written by Andrew Sia
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From the Desk of the Publisher
This time we found ourselves quoting a quote from a young French designer who just turned 34 years old. At her young age she is already known for sustainability and upcycle, and her message resonates deeply in today’s world which is about responsibility and renewal, not just beauty.
Her approach is very different from the very big brands who are using sustainability for marketing. Her brand is an environmental conscious luxury brand, and she is proving that the two concepts can co-exist.
Marine Serre was born on December 13, 1991, in Brive-la-Gaillarde near Corrèze France. She went to school in Marseille, after two years she moved to Belgium to attend La Cambre, from where she graduated with high honors in 2016.
At her young age, she developed an interest in fashion, and it was during her studying at La Cambre Mode Belgium Fashion Design Academy, an institution renowned for establishing some of the fashion industry’s most creative talents. During her stint there, she met with iconic designers, and one of them was Raf Simons at Dior, who provided her with a strong foundation in luxury fashion.
Serre’s graduation show “Radical Call For Love” in 2016 ignited the interest of international stores as The Broken Arm and Dover Street Market. The collection debuted the crescent moon motif that has become a signature for her brand.
Her graduation from La Cambre led her to internships working under Sarah Burton at Alexander McQueen, Mattheu Blazy at Maison Margiela, and Raf Simons at Dior. She worked in Paris for a year as a designer for Balenciaga, and at the same time also working on her own line.
Serre made her runway debut in February 2018 in Paris. Her collections have been met with critical and commercial acclaim, and her brand is stocked internationally at Dover Street Market, Nordstrom, SSENSE, and more. Her work focuses on innovation and sustainability, with a minimum of 50% of her collection consisting of upcycled material, such as old lace tablecloths and vintage silk scarves. In 2019 she became the first to collaborate with an air-filtration mask company to produce her branded air purifying masks.
Her collections have been seen with numerous celebrities, and Beyoncé in particular, was seen wearing a catsuit from the line in her 2020 Black is King project and commissioned a custom catsuit for her 2023 Renaissance World Tour.
Serra is known for innovative approach to luxury fashion and her designs are frequently incorporated with recycled materials. She proves to the fashion industry that it can adopt a supply chain that can become sustainable, despite the challenge traditional notions of luxury. Her work is considered a prime example of eco futurist ideology in fashion. She is driving a supply chain model based on regeneration, challenging the traditional practices of wasteful production.
The fashion industry has always been criticized for the unsustainable practices. Many large brands use “sustainably” for marketing. These efforts are often limited and serve as a marketing tool rather than substantive reform. Serre created a brand that has meant to be an environmental conscious luxury brand and the proof that the two concepts and models can co-exist.
In June 2017, during the award ceremony of the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers, Karl Lagerfeld, who was a member of the jury, described Marine Serra as: “One-meter-fifty, but a will as steel.” She has often been described as intensely focused and discipline which has to do with her early age as a high-level tennis player. She was trained for fifteen years and nearly qualified for the French Open before ultimately deciding to pursuit fashion full-time. Her athletic background has contributed to her reputation to have a strong work ethic and a resilient and forward-thinking mindset.
We are using Marine Serre’s quote as, “We have to create new ways of making fashion — not just new clothes.”
Youtube: Marine Serre - A Dystopian/Utopian Fashion Radical (April 2025) Lea Chan | Sustainable Textiles & Fashion | 8:21
Youtube: MARINE SERRE PROCESSES - TROMPE L'OEIL DRESS Fall/Winter 2025 | 1:30
Youtube: MARINE SERRE PROCESSES - LACE AND JERSEY LINGERIE DRESS Fall/Winter 2025 | 1:16
