MARINE SERRE FALL 2022

The serenity of the Marine Serre show photographs completely belie the mayhem of what was happening two floors below, and earlier in a very nasty door-crush. Suffice it to say that young people in Paris will scramble and wait, packed uncomfortably together, to witness whatever Serre will do. It felt almost like a throwback to the hysteria of the underground French fashion scene that swirled around the likes of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Martin Margiela and Xuly.Bët in the good old ’90s. But then again, much cleaner.

If Serre is a female inheritor of what male designers did to deconstruct and democratize Paris fashion once upon a time, the big difference is how she delves far deeper into cultural and environmental ethics. Challenging the form of the fashion show—and who is invited—is part of that. “What was important was to open the boundaries,” she said. “To show a different way to do a show. It was important to me that it was in a museum, to have something that shows the collective imagination. And to have something where people weren’t sure if there were going to be people walking, or where to sit or look."

The “museum” was a gallery of re-mastered old masters on the top floor (amongst which the looks were photographed). Each of them variously redirected, decolonized and replaced the original iconography to link up with Serre’s work. One example: a neo-classical painting of Diana the Huntress whose half-moon diadem is paralleled by the instantly-recognizable Marine Serre crescent-moon brand print.

Cut to her opener. A series of black and white lozenge and crescent-moon patterned recycled wool jacquard tailoring—grown up coats and matching trousers —looked chic and polished.

More themes came through: tartan scarves patchworked into tweed coats, collaged upcycled knits. Toile de Jouy quilted bed clothes and camouflage prints were turned into neatly-finished, attractive clothing. Serre is clearly focused on proving there’s nothing rough-and-ready about the second life she’s giving to pieces of defunct garments or deadstock.

That’s another big difference between now and the ’90s. In the olden days of ‘deconstructionism’ it was deemed cool to leave threads hanging and to wear DIY amateurism on your sleeve. Not now. Marine Serre’s look is professional—a convincing case of “I can’t believe it’s not new fashion.”

But she’s intent on sharing how she does this. The need for transparency and education are other parts of her impressive worldview and drive to accelerate change in her generation. On the first floor of the building she had installed an atelier with members of her teams of sorters, cutters and sewers at work, demonstrating how her pieces are made. “I feel I have a responsibility to give access to this savoir faire,” she said, preternaturally calm in the eye of the swirling storm of guests. All weekend, she was planning to open the doors of the installations and exhibition to the public. “For free, you know?”

Images courtesy of IMAX by The Impression.