July 15, 2025 |
As Meryll Rogge steps into her new gig as creative director of Marni – becoming the first woman to hold the post since founder Consuelo Castiglioni – it feels like the dawn of a bright, rule-breaking chapter for the storied Italian house. Known for her slightly rebellious, art-school approach to fashion, Rogge arrives with an infectious energy and a knack for turning tradition on its head. Expect a fresh spin on Marni’s eclecticism, with playful tailoring, off-kilter glamour and plenty of tongue-in-cheek charm.
So who exactly is this Belgian designer sending hearts (and hemlines) aflutter from Milan to Manhattan? Here, we break down the ten most need-to-know tidbits from Rogge’s cross-continental life.
1. Growing up in Flemish Ghent, Belgium, Rogge dreamed of becoming an illustrator and working for Disney. But destiny had other plans: after getting caught sketching dresses in her Ancient Greek class, a sharp-eyed professor nudged her towards fashion design instead.
2. In 2008, she graduated from the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp.
3. Rogge saw her start at Marc Jacobs in New York where she worked between 2008 and 2015, moving from summer intern to womenswear designer in a matter of years. Following her departure, she travelled back overseas, landing in Belgium to become the head of womenswear design at Dries Van Noten and work alongside the famed visionary.
4. She also helms her namesake brand – Meryll Rogge – celebrated for its irreverent twists on wardrobe staples. Think slip dresses with unexpected cuts, playful knits like beaded cardigans for men and women, and her cheeky boxer bloomers beloved by celebs and influencers alike. Meanwhile, loyal customers keep returning for roomy elastic-waist khakis, spliced-and-diced shirts and ultra-cool takes on sporty basics.
5. Her designs pull inspiration from specific time periods or places like the surrealist hometown of Salvador Dalí or the ‘80s punk scene.
6. She is captivated by a mundane sense of beauty, and the power of timeless vintage clothes which never lose their sense of style. This was particularly present in her AW21 collection which worked to reinterpret classic pieces meant to remain in your wardrobe throughout your life. This included morphing tuxedo trousers into something like tracksuit bottoms, giving parkas gentle A-line shapes with ruffled shoulders and embroidering delicate florals on slinky slip dresses.
7. She was named as a semi-finalist for the 2022 LVMH Prize and a 2025 Woolmark Prize finalist.
8. She has a knack for finding interesting locations, presenting her AW23 collection at a bowling alley under the Arc de Triomphe and her AW24 collection in the locker-lined basement of the École Duperré.
9. In 2024 she became the first woman ever to be named designer of the year at the Belgian Fashion Awards.
10. Last month, Rogge scooped up the coveted 2025 ANDAM grand prize, securing €300,000 and a year-long mentorship under Sidney Toledano – setting her up to turbocharge both her own label and her ambitious new chapter at Marni.
Photography courtesy of Marni.
