Odoya, Yemanjá!

This season, we celebrate the 30th anniversary of marlies|dekkers with a joyful trip around the world to explore the multi-sensory, multidimensional delights of dance, from samba to street dance, from ballet to Bollywood. Ancient goddess cultures honored female sensuality as the source of all life, expressed by dance. Today, dance is as important as ever: a way to reconnect to our femininity and our natural physical intelligence. A blissful expression of self-care and self-love. A radical act of feminine feminism. Time to reawaken the ancient muses of dance, starting with Yemanjá.

Odoya (greetings), Yemanjá, Goddess of Samba! The epitome of mestiçagem – racial and cultural mixture – samba is a Brazilian phenomenon with roots in West Africa’s Yorùbá culture where goddess Yemanjá once ruled supreme. Associated with peacocks, the full moon, the stars and sea, creativity and female fertility, Yemanjá loves to dance, her movements reflecting the rhythm of the waves. Together with enslaved West Africans, Yemanjá travelled to Brazil, where her rhythm and sensual powers became the soul of samba. And her journey didn’t end there. Every day, she is empowering women all over the world by helping them unlock their hips and unleash their sensuality, one shake at a time. Yemanjá’s message is clear: let’s move out of our heads and into our bodies. Let’s groove to the rhythm of our hearts. Let’s get down and dirty, sweaty and sexy. Let’s dance!

For this season’s Couture Collection, I created a wearable ode to Yemanjá and the sensual soul of samba, combining vibrant pastel shades with a fluid interplay of lines. A clever placement print creates the illusion of panels wrapping themselves around your gorgeous curves while the all over gold lurex piping gives you that carnival sparkle. Hidden wiring creates a smooth silhouette and allows the transformation from innerwear to outerwear in a matter of seconds. Just add a flirty skirt!

Dance to the beat of your deepest desires. Dare to celebrate life!