Marine Serre is in survival mode. She describes herself and the brand’s tight-knit team as “the archeologists of textile”, a human-machine that regenerates the material offerings of our ancestors to create clothes for the future.
The ‘F’ word—future—is a hot topic for the French designer. Be it her “ecofuturistic” sci-fi style codes, epitomised by her instantly-recognisable moon motif that’s revisited each season, or her dedication to innovative upcycling methods (her collections are made from deadstock and recycled yarns,) Serre is thinking ahead. “The challenge was to maintain the hybridity, the creativity, and the transformation processes of the brand, giving access to what we have been already creating since the start,” she remarks.
Last season was “alarming and preventive,” she tells British Vogue, speaking of her compelling short film Amor Futi that explored kinship and community against the backdrop of a clinical, otherworldly vacuum. Autumn/winter 2021 brings us back to earth: Serre’s own personal relationships with her long-time collaborators are presented through the lens of a mircrosite populated with short clips of her loyal supporters—dressed, of course, in her intergalactic crescent-adorned uniform.
The familial interactions of seven muses—Kim, Chloé, Kristina, Amalia, Juliet, Sofya and Tanguy—filmed in Marseille (where Serre first studied fashion), Paris and Brussels (where she completed her MA at La Cambre), are presented as interactive clips on her Core website. “They are people that know me before the creation of the brand and became part of it in the last three years. They are my closest friends, and they are all very inspiring people”, she remarks. “It was an homage, in a sense, to these muses and friends that helped us, giving energies, sharing moments, and being part of this movement; at the same time Core is an homage to the trust that these people gave us, they welcomed us into their home and their private life.”
A series of “regenerated videos” that glimpse the various fabric processes used throughout the collection are also available to view online. T-shirt patchworks, reworked denim and fleece, vintage silk scarves, carpets, household linens, tartan scarves, pullovers and her signature moire all feature – reimagined as contemporary garments that have previously gained kudos among fashionable women including Beyoncé, Dua Lipa and Adele.
Here, 11 looks that her famous following have doubtless screen-shotted ahead of next season.
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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Marine Serre AW21
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