Marlies Dekkers Project
At the end of last year I worked on a collaborative project with Marlies Dekkers. The aim of the project was to produce two collections that would develop and grow the brand. I focused on the UK market, designing three collections that take inspiration from early Marlies designs and appeal to the UK consumer.
1st Collection: Swimwear
I feel that while there are a number of fantastic, directional lingerie brands in the UK, swimwear is still lagging behind in the design stakes. I felt this would be a fantastic opportunity for a brand like Marlies Dekkers to expand within the UK and proposed the collection below.
2nd Collection: Diffusion Range
The second collection I proposed was a diffusion range inspired by early Marlies Dekkers designs such as the 'spider' bra shown below.
I wanted to design a collection of simple, edgy designs that could be updated each season using modern prints. The 'Wired' collection appeals to a young, trend conscious consumer who is attracted to the Marlies Dekkers aesthetic.
3rd Collection: Outerwear
'Good design can solve a problem'
...and this applies to fashion design. A problem experienced by Marlies Dekkers is that consumers simply don't know how to wear their products. Marlies lingerie designs are exciting and often extend beyond what is traditionally considered underwear - so how should the product be styled and sold to the consumer? My response to this issue was to design an outerwear collection that is purposely designed to be worn with corresponding lingerie pieces from the 'Wired' collection. Mesh panels on the garments are placed to reveal interesting design details on the lingerie, and could be styled and sold alongside the lingerie collection in a retail environment.
I was selected as a finalist and on presentation to the brand my proposed collections received a very positive response.
