Tarot is a mirror
As an art student, I learned to express myself with symbols. As a designer, I took an everyday object - a bra - and turned it into a symbol of a new kind of female empowerment: feminine feminism. Born into a working-class family, expected to become a housewife, I reshuffled the cards I was dealt and shaped my own future. Without a mentor or formula to follow, I created my path by walking it. But I did have some magical guides: the glorious archetypes of the Tarot deck. Like my grandmother invoking the Holy Spirit with her prayer cards, I channeled the colorful characters that symbolize our necessary transformations. For each phase, the Tarot offered me a new Muse.
"Dare to dream!", the Magician urged me, setting my soul on fire with his magic wand. And so, I dreamed and created, using all the tools on the Magician's table: my ambition, emotional intelligence, means and wits. I kickstarted a feminist revolution and became one of the first female founders in lingerie. I used the magic of new beginnings to propel me forward, but soon realized that balance was equally important. And so, I welcomed my next muse.
"Dare to grow", the High Priestess said as she invited me into her Temple of Wisdom. Symbolizing the balance between our masculine and feminine energies, our intellect and intuition, she insisted: "Reflect, recharge, and reexamine the patterns of your life. But don't forget the joy of learning!". And so, I kept learning from my mistakes, but also taking on fun new challenges such as conducting an orchestra or coaching female entrepreneurs. But even a student for life needs to revel in her success sometimes...
'Dare to be' was the message of my next muse: the sensual Empress. When I started my business, the archetype of success was a workaholic, cigar-smoking businessman in a flashy sportscar. To me, the Empress symbolized the feminine face of success. Pregnant with life, ideas and desires, she taught me that health is wealth, and that money means nothing without honey, aka sweet (self)love. She personified the fulfillment of my potential, and of all the women empowered by my lingerie. "Look in the mirror," the Empress cheers us on, “You have become your own muses!"
The Empress is right: it's good to see how far we've come. It's important to celebrate. But I'll never stop daring myself to dream, grow and be; I'll never stop inviting you along. Yes, some things get easier, but a lot of things don't. And that's okay; I embrace them all as part of life's magic. Besides, I still have a lot of (Tarot) cards up my sleeve.
MD Friends
Building bridges
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.
MD Friends
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.