Cover Story
Marine Serre on the art of regeneration, and her latest autumn-winter ‘22 collection: ‘Hard Drive’
An exaltion of “end-of-life garments”
3 Minute Read
Ethereal surrealism is Marine Serre’s forte. The 30-year-old French designer has transformed deadstock materials and vintage finds into reborn garments, garnering a cult fan base since her brand’s inception. And now, we’re so honoured to add her marvels to the Harrolds wardrobe for trans-seasonal fashion destined to prompt questions from your office companions or strangers at a cool wine bar.
Marine Serre’s reincarnation of textiles is trending at prolific status, mixing classic French couture silhouettes, sportswear cues and a hallmark crescent moon motif adorning multiple works.
For Spring/Summer 2022, Marine Serre brought us dystopian themes to the fore of fashion, dubbed “Ostal24”. The collection is crafted from 90% recycled and regenerated fabrics — a metaphor for reinventing your past self in pursuit of a new future. You’ll find Harrolds’ handpicked selections from the range in-store and online, here.
With the regeneration process, we propose a new vision: a new way of thinking, buying and consuming
But today, we catch up with the team at Marine Serre headquarters and the namesake designer to unearth the makings of the latest ‘Hard Drive’ collection. Below is a guided walkthrough of Hard Drive, as told by the maker herself…
The release was made to reinvent the art of living on a damaged planet — to look at its ruins, perils, and vulnerabilities, and restore its dignity. It is not an invitation to dream or to escape, but rather to reunite.
Marine Serre’s pioneering regenerative process through which end-of-life garments are restored and everyday objects exalted, can be noticed in the collection through lacey shirts and dresses made from silk scarves, in corsets and jackets regenerated from bedspreads in Provençal floral, as well as in upcycled assembled t-shirts pieces among others.
“With the regeneration process, we propose a new vision: a new way of thinking, buying and consuming, showing that a different way of production is possible, preserving artisanal manufacturing, making the unique accessible, and yet creating unique pieces,” says Marine Serre.
Marine Serre renews the attention we pay to all beings, to what they are and what they were, to what they could become, in order to establish new communities. Explicit revivals of the Scottish heritage appear on tailored coats and Harrington jackets regenerated from tartan scarves and houndstooth wool.
The punk attitude is emphasized by assembled buckles transformed in chokers and bracelets placed over Aran knit sweaters in vibrant colors. A kaleidoscope of regenerated eccentric pullovers are meticulously layered to prevent any sliver of the skin’s exposure to the elements.
“I would like the regenerated pieces to be included in our daily lives, see them in the streets, my goal is to render upcycling accessible to everybody”, says Serre.
The sturdy ripstop camouflage is opulently reworked with a combination of fine damask in earthy tones, recontextualized in a break from convention with candid household linen in tailored dress-coats, swirling dresses, and sinuous corsets.
“I like camouflage because is a very resistant fabric, it does not tear easily, and at the same time it is ornamental. I found it even more interesting when merging it with a bourgeois Damask jacquard, they seem opposite but actually both represent natural elements and leaves”.
