April 24, 2023 |
Marine Serre has proved herself to be a stalwart leader in fashion’s sustainable revolution. The former LVMH Prize winner, who lives and works in Paris, is famed for eco-futurist approach, which sees her upcycle silk scarves, deadstock leather and denim, unused T-shirts as well as regenerated textiles to concoct her youth centric wardrobe.
Taking over Selfridges’ Corner Shop until May 13, Serre has reworked the space to mimic the look of her own atelier, littered with vintage furnishings, including old school tables, which come upholstered in Serre’s half-moon motif.
“I love London. The British has always believed in me and my craziness. I’ve always felt really close to the British aesthetic,” says Serre, whose Corner Shop experience is part of Selfridges’ Worn Again store-wide initiative, which will focus on experimental second-hand and circular shopping experiences.
The space features two couture dresses: an upcycled T-shirt frock, and a denim belt dress – both from Serre’s SS23 collections – which are available made-to-order. Fans of the designer will also be able to shop the brand’s first sneaker, dubbed MS Rise, which makes its retail debut at Selfridges.
To open the space, members of Serre’s team travelled to London to transform vintage togs into one-of-one T-shirts, where customers could even bring their own beloved tees to be reconstructed – a concept debuted during Serre’s AW22 show, which was open to the public.
“I’m trying to bring new possibilities,” says Serre. “Instead of just showing a dress that is finished, we’re making people think about how much time it takes to make a garment.”
The space will host a variety of workshops, whether that’s screen-printing with Serre’s close collaborators, or the chance for customers to bring clothes from their own wardrobe to be printed with Serre’s signature moon crescent.
“I want to touch more people with upcycling, and I need retail to do that,” says Serre. “You need to feel, you need to touch, you need to meet people, you need to see the clothes in real life.”
Photography by Tim Charles. Marine Serre’s takeover of Selfridges’ London is open until May 13.
