Why I’m into slow fashion

by Marlies Dekkers
It cost 800 Dutch guilders, my entire monthly wages, but I never felt anything like it. The silk on my skin, the cut, the details. I was heartbroken when I had to take it off.

And so, for the first time in my life, I decided to save up and invest in a piece of clothing, just like some people do with art. This was during a photoshoot about 15 years ago, and someone had handed me a black and white stripy button down shirt by Costume National that turned out to be so much more than a shirt; when I put it on, I realised someone had made a statement in fabric. It was an expression of art, made with love.

Fashion has never been faster than now, with copies of designer looks hitting the high street within weeks, but I like it sexy and slow. I love the thrill of falling in love with something I see on the catwalk, then having to wait –and save up!- to buy it, sometimes even having to go on a treasure hunt to different stores in different cities to get my size. Sometimes it takes a year and a half before my crush is finally mine.

That stripy shirt from Costume National? I still have it. There is a special room in my basement where I keep my ‘couture babies’. Every now and then I visit it to select a few pieces that get to spend some time in my current wardrobe upstairs. And so it happens that I wear pieces that are 10, 20 years old. Every time I put one on, I realise my love for it has only grown.

I see fashion as something to be treasured over time, not trashed every season. If we slow down, we understand that we don’t need to buy new trends every 6 weeks. And if we choose wisely, we can see ourselves as collectors, not merely consumers. That’s exactly the thought behind my marlies|dekkers Couture Collection; one-of-a-kind designs, limited in availability, that really tell a story. But above all, made with love.

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Building bridges

MD Friends

Building bridges

by marlies|dekkers

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.

More than a feeling

MD Friends

More than a feeling

by marlies|dekkers

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.”

Keto curious?

Marlies Says

Keto curious?

by marlies|dekkers

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.

Super (skin) food

Marlies Says

Super (skin) food

by marlies|dekkers

‘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.