Dare to be a comeback Queen

Dare to be a comeback Queen

by marlies|dekkers

Some periods are so dramatic and life-altering that even though you can’t even fathom the outcome yet, you already know in the depth of your soul: we will forever speak of before and after. As I write this, we’re in the midst of a revolution, accelerated by a pandemic: people in face masks are marching the streets. Just like the women who started the MeToo movement and the Swedish teenager who told the world: ‘Our house is on fire’, they were tired of waiting for change. And so, they became the change.

These past few months have been challenging, to say the least. But as I was moving through them, surfing the changes, striving to look after my family, friends, colleagues and myself, I was lucky to be in excellent company: my muse for this season, Cleopatra. No stranger to epidemics and revolutions herself, the Queen of the Nile inspired me to embrace challenges as a chance for self-improvement. As I was researching her life and legacy for my collection inspiration, I realized that Cleopatra – much like the worshipped cats of Ancient Egypt – had at least nine lives. From the loss of her kingdom to the assassination of her lover; each time she was dealt a devastating blow, the Egyptian queen would use her wits and creativity to come back with a vengeance. What better icon of hope for these turbulent times than the formidable ‘Comeback Queen’?

Putting together this season’s issue of my Feminine Feminist magazine, we were very much guided by Cleopatra’s spirit of resilience. Without access to the usual resources for our photo shoots for example, we became creative. Instead of flying in international top models, I recruited my own queens to star on these pages: my dear friends, amongst which recording artist Margriet Planting and DJ Jody Lynne. For our designer swimwear, we revisited my 70s childhood holidays on the North Sea – including our orange family tent! – celebrating hippie values such as an open mind and an open heart. You may call me nostalgic, but I think they may be exactly what the world needs now.

In uncertain times, we tend to turn our gaze towards the sky. Dating as far back as ancient Babylonian times and used by Cleopatra herself, astrology seems to be more booming than ever. Dutch astrologer Karen Hamaker-Zondag explained to me how we can use the stars to influence our fate positively. And speaking of agency, I talked to serial entrepreneur Janneke Niessen about how we can fix the funding gap for female founders. “Game the system until is is a level playing field,” she told me, while urging women ‘to go out and make connections’.

How right she is! Now more than ever, ‘connection’ is the magic word. Connection with others, like the badass women I talked with for our Instagram-live ‘Self-love Show’. (Check out the sauciest quotes here!). But also the connection to ourselves, to our inner source of strength: our femininity. I believe my interviews with feminist Egyptologist Kara Cooney and goddess dance coach Kaouthar Darmoni will inspire you to (re)connect to that ancient source of power. “Femme = fierce” is how Kaouthar sums it up so poignantly. Right now, I don’t know what the ‘after’ world will look like. But as Cleopatra showed us: once upon a time, women ruled the world. And I believe that if we stand together and stay connected, the future will be female. Fiercely so.

— Marlies Dekkers

 

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fall|winter 20 preview

Marlies Says

fall|winter 20 preview

by marlies|dekkers

In January, I presented my newest FW20 collection during a show full of dance and entertainment in Rotterdam. All my work as a feminist designer is inspired by muses, powerful female icons from past and present. And for FW20, my muse will be crime writer Agatha Christie. A few months from now, you will get to discover the collections, and see how they tell stories like Agatha’s thrilling books do..

Running for your life

MD Friends

Running for your life

by marlies|dekkers

Dr. Bram Bakker is a psychiatrist, a writer, a runner and a provocateur. With his many bestselling books and columns – and yes, even his own theatre show – he urges us to think outside the box when it comes to our mental health. Not crazy about popping pills? Bram shared some interesting alternatives with me, from throwing out our phones to running ‘till we puke’.

Peas & peppers instead of pills

MD Friends

Peas & peppers instead of pills

by marlies|dekkers

General practitioner Tamara de Weijer believes that we would feel a lot better if we hit the produce stand before we visited the pharmacy. “On a massive scale, we have been putting the wrong kind of fuel in our bodies.”

Singles Day – You’ve Got this!

Marlies Says

Singles Day – You’ve Got this!

by marlies|dekkers

All the single ladies, listen up! With single women rapidly becoming the majority, it is high time to stop feeling singled out. This Singles Day, let’s celebrate our freedom and independence by sharing all those solo milestones that make us go: ‘You’ve got this!’.

marlies|dekkers lingerie

Marlies|dekkers heeft een grote variëteit aan lingerie wat gedragen kan worden door iedereen en voldoet aan iedere vrouw haar behoefte. Naast het aanbieden van producten op onze webshop, houden we een blog bij in de categorie ‘Maison Marlies’ waar over verschillende onderwerpen geschreven wordt zoals; Waarom 50 worden fantastisch is, een 5-stappenplan voor het kopen van lingerie voor jouw vriendin, vrouw of partner , hoe je lingerie als deel van je outfit maakt en andere leuke onderwerpen.

Maison Marlies

In Maison Marlies blog kun je van alles lezen over het leven achter en rondom het bedrijf. Of je nu wilt weten waar ze haar inspiratie vandaan haalt voor het ontwerpen van een nieuwe collectie, of dat je interesse hebt in haar levensstijl, gezonde recepten, of haar smaak in bijzondere kunst, je kunt het vinden in de blog. Deze zakenvrouw krijgt het voor elkaar om met een knipoog te schrijven over haar zakenreizen, shop avonturen, haar collega’s, vrienden en familie en zelfs over haar vakanties waar ze even helemaal tot rust komt. Wanneer je even niet meer weet hoe je jou goede bh maat kunt vinden, biedt Maison Marlies een aantal richtlijnen zodat je je boezem kunt schudden zonder dat je borsten eruit floepen. Comfort voor je buste is een combinatie van de juiste maat en de juiste kwaliteit. Je wilt toch geen onhandig ondergoed, terwijl dit eigenlijk heel makkelijk voorkomen kan worden door het dragen van hoge kwaliteit lingerie?! En wanneer je voorgevel goed op z’n plaats gehouden wordt kun je eindelijk volledig je vrouwelijkheid vieren. De blog geeft advies over het mixen en matchen van lingerie, over het stimuleren en inspireren van je eigen stijlgevoel en houdt je op de hoogte van de laatste trends.

blij met marlies|dekkers lingerie

Haar celebrity vrienden zijn ook erg blij met de perfecte pasvorm van de bh's van marlies|dekkers. Deze vriendinnen laten met trots hun sexy lingerie van marlies|dekkers zien in fotoshoots voor tijdschriften, en tijdens optredens, tv-shows of zelfs in films. Maison Marlies wijdt een speciaal gedeelte van de blog aan gerelateerde nieuwtjes en ontwikkelingen zodat je altijd op de hoogte blijft van de laatste ontwikkelingen rondom de speciale missie die de visie van Marlies’ ademt voor de toekomst.