Neptune’s bikini code
“Go on, you don’t need all these clothes,” Neptune, the god of the sea, whispers in your ear with each wave. Hypnotised, you start to undress..
At the same time, you can feel quite vulnerable on the beach; you’re laying on your back, surrounded by strangers, and you’re wearing something miniscule that, just a few hundred meters down, on the boulevard, you wouldn’t be caught dead in!
Simply put: the beach has its own set of rules. So when I started designing swimwear, I felt I needed to crack that code. Off I went, on a tour of different beaches in different countries, trying out different states of undress. (And yes, that included an exciting afternoon on a nudist beach.) I was observing how people reacted, but more importantly, analysing how it made me feel.
First of all, I realised that the closer we are to the actual water, the less we wear. Literally! We might swim topless, but put on a bikini-top when we walk over to see a friend. Then, when we decide to get some ice cream on the boulevard, we throw on a shirt or a pareo.
Secondly, I learned that what works as lingerie, might not make us feel strong and sexy on the beach. Personally, I want to look good on the beach, but not too sexy. More than anything, I want to feel confident. A sensual lace strap or a naughty cut-out – so empowering under a skirt suit- is not going to give me that when I’m strutting through the sand.
How does that affect my designs? As a lingerie-designer, I stand behind you when you wear one of my creations, admiring yourself in the mirror. I trace your curves and whisper in your ear: ‘Look at your breasts, aren’t they amazing? Check out your beautiful bottom!’ My goal is to make to make your reflection shudder and push you out of your comfort zone.
But when it comes to swimwear, I want you right there smack in the middle of your comfort zone! So I came up with a game plan. I know most women worry about very speficic areas: the breasts, belly and bottom. That’s exactly where I offer security with my designs. Also, I play with lines and graphics so it feels like body armour, but it looks like a sexy bikini. (how that works exactly, I’ll explain in my next blog). I can’t tell you how wonderful it is when someone comes up to me to tell me that because of my designs, they have the courage to wear a bikini for the first time in their lives!
So when Neptune calls, go! Let that bearded hunk and his sexy triton seduce you, let him bewitch you with the electric energy of his waves.
With my swimwear, you’ll be ready…
Imagine you are standing at the windswept shore.
It is the ocean’s presence – salt, sea , sand , sound, air – that touches…uptlifts…seduces…redeems you…salt, sea, sand, sound, air….
This is sensuality.
You are ocean. I am touched by you
(from my own book, ‘33 Propositions’)
The collections Holi Vintage, Holi Glamour and Holi Gypsy fits every body.
MD Friends
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From the Erasmus Bridge and the Mercedes-Benz Museum to Qatar’s metro network; Ben van Berkel’s iconic landmarks bring people together in rapturous beauty, again and again. I talked with the Dutch architect and educator about sensuality, ‘healthy’ buildings and the remarkable parallels between our designs.
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More than a feeling
Don’t ignore your emotions; they are much more powerful than you can imagine. By linking the magical world of emotions with hard science, Dutch scientist Pierre Capel, professor emeritus in experimental immunology, shows us the consequences of our feelings and the power of our minds. The message: we can do much more than we think. “Meditate. It’s the single best thing you can do for your health.”
Marlies Says
Keto curious?
The fact that I feel bikini-confident all year round is, of course, a nice bonus. But for me, the biggest payoff of following the keto diet is the way it optimizes my health and gives me tons of energy.
Marlies Says
Super (skin) food
‘If you can’t eat it, why put it on your skin?’. I pretty much live by this beauty adage. After all, with your skin being one of your body’s largest organs, anything – and I mean anything! – you put onto your skin will end up in your bloodstream.
Maison Marlies blog
The marlies|dekkers brand offers a wide variety of lingerie that can be worn by anyone and caters to every woman’s individual needs. Within our Maison Marlies blog you can read all about the life behind and surrounding the company. Whether you are eager to know where Marlies gets her inspiration for designing new lingerie collections, her lifestyle, healthy cooking ideas, or simply to share her taste in amazing art - you will find it in the blog. Our fearless creative director manages to find time to write about her business trips and even her shopping sprees and vacations for the times she can let her hair down for a while. And even while she is on holiday she will not leave you hanging.
Giving style advice
When you are feeling lost in finding the right fit or determine your bra size, Maison Marlies offers a set of guidelines so that you can continue shaking your bon bons without them falling out. You'll get style tips on how to wear and style your bras, and bikinis. You would not want a wardrobe malfunction which can actually be prevented when you are wearing high quality luxury lingerie. And when your breasts are kept in place in marlies|dekkers bras or bikinis, you can fully celebrate your femininity in all its glory and full potential. The blog offers advise on how to mix and match womens lingerie to boost, inspire your own fashion sense and keeps you updated on the latest fashion trends.
Marlies and friends
Her celebrity friends are also very pleased with that perfect fit a marlies|dekkers bra can offer you. These women proudly show off their marlies|dekkers lingerie sets in photoshoots for magazines, on stage when they're performing, during a cameo on tv or on the big screen in movies. Maison Marlies dedicates a special section of the blog to all gender equality related news so you are always updated about the latest developments around this special mission that embodies Marlies’ vision for the future.