You may have noticed that recently, a lot of celebrities are wearing the same form-fitting body suit covered in little crescent moons. It's not an homage to crime-fighting teenager Sailor Moon but one of the most coveted pieces by French designer, Marine Serre.
Marine Serre is the eponymous label by 28-year-old French fashion designer. In 2017, she won the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers following her graduation show, "Radical Call For Love" which caught the attention of la mode streetwear stockists, Dover Street Market and The Broken Arm. This collection featured what would become the now-instantly recognisable emblem - the moon crescent - on futuristic athleisure. Everything from slick tops and skintight leggings, to billowy dresses cut from a multitude of patterns was shown.
Over the last three years, as with most labels that enter the zeitgeist, celebrities have been photographed wearing her irreverent designs. The form-hugging and sexy albeit completely modest designs have struck a cord with fashion aficionados. And everyone from Beyoncé and Dua Lipa, to Kylie Jenner, Adele and Charli XCX have been spotted rocking Marine Serre.
???? it’s spooky baby ???? pic.twitter.com/us8f5vij1r
— Charli (@charli_xcx) October 8, 2019
"Futurewear" is how Serre identifies her collection at large. In the past she's featured ventilation face masks - well before the global pandemic hit - as well as snug balaclavas, best worn in a matching ensemble. It goes without saying there's something uncannily dystopian about the designer's vision. But she disagrees with that.
"A lot of my work is references to past things...so for me, past and present and future is the same," Serre told Garage during an interview in 2018. "I think “future” is depending on your perspective, and for me it’s not only about using jersey and putting some reflecting taping on a garment, you know? And I think this is maybe what happens a lot today. We have a tendency to basically do sportswear in high fashion. And for me, it’s really not like that. I really think about, What do I need today? So then for this reason, what do I need tomorrow?"
Serre's work is often interpreted through the lens of an apocalyptic sensibility, though artists have reinterpreted her work and applied it to their most significant moments, which comment on the past, present and future.
Recently, Beyoncé adorned the French designer's most celebrated piece - her moon crescent chocolate brown and cream bodysuit - and applied it to one of the most powerful moments in Black Is King. Here, on the magnificent visual accompaniment to her album, The Lion King: The Gift, Queen Bey and her dancers move exuberantly to Already, swathed in Serre's designs.
Out of all the designers Bey wore, Serre got the most press. This was only fueled by Adele who in response to the Houston singer's visual album posted an Instagram wearing one of Serre's pieces. "Thank you Queen for always making us all feel so loved through your art," reads the caption.
It's the moment that has InStyle asking, "Is Marine Serre the next Gucci?"
And they might be right.
Since then, the bodysuit has sold out everywhere. And right now, is only available for preorder on the designer's website for 440.
Dua Lipa has worn Serre's pieces several times, including in the vertical video for her single Physical from her aptly titled record, Future Nostalgia. She's also donned pieces at red carpets, interviews and all over Instagram.
So what makes Marine Serre so popular, so much so it's rivalling luxury design houses? Well, besides her ebullient and innovative designs.
What sets this label apart from the rest, is that it eschews gaudy printed labels with a generic crescent moon. This symbol represents everything and nothing at the same time, allowing the wearer to attach whatever meaning they want to it.
A big proponent of Serre's success is thanks to her focus on sustainability. Today, consumers are well aware of impact the fashion industry has on the world. According to Quantis, the apparel and footwear industries account for more than 8% of global climate impacts. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation states that's more than international flights and maritime shipping trips combined.
And Serre is hoping to push the boundaries of what being "sustainable" really means. "I don’t want to be a green brand and make commercial promises [based] on that," she continues in her Garage interview. "What I want to show is that, you can do a [new, luxury] garment with old garments. Being a designer is not only being able to make a fabric in China that is cute and beautiful and pink and then you make a nice dress. You can do it another way."
To have a label that isn't just owned by the designer, but is also good for the planet and so cool that it's Dua Lipa and Bey-approved, well, that just makes it one of the most influential labels of its time.
