MOVERS AND SHAKERS: Marlies Dekkers, Designer

Marlies Dekkers first came to the attention of the world-at-large on her graduation in 1991 from the Saint Joost Academy for Art and Design. With the famous 'bare buttock dress' of her graduation show, she grabbed without batting an eyelid a full page article in the NRC daily newspaper. Since then things have rarely been quiet again around the designer and businesswoman.

In those early days, it was her dream to design lingerie in which women could feel beautiful and seductive, but at the same time powerful and independent. But in lingerie, claimed people around her who knew about business, there was barely a dry crust to be earned; the average Dutch woman was, after all, of the mind-set that she should 'Just be average; that's crazy enough'. Advice like this is like a red rag to a bull to Marlies; if everyone says something is not possible, then she just tends to give it 200% to prove that it is possible!

'These days it is almost hard to imagine, but back then thongs were still sold from under the counter!'

She persisted with her dream and set to work designing her sort of lingerie; strong, sexy, self-aware and with a perfect fit.

Black

In 1993 she started her own Undressed label with just a ? 17,000 subsidy from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, out of her top floor apartment in Amsterdam. With the subsidy money she bought, in contrast to what the majority of young fashion start-ups spend theirs on, not sewing machines but a computer and (what in those days was still seen as rather high-tech gizmo) a fax. The ateliers to which she would be outsourcing her designs would already have sewing machines themselves, was her reasoning.

Her bedroom now served as her atelier and in the meter cupboard there were Ikea boxes filled with her stock of jet-black bras and slips pilled up to the roof.

'For years I was associated with black. And it's true that I do have a lot to thank black for. Black is an absence of colour and therefore still presents a great challenge to me as a designer. Black is black thanks to the absence of light. But as a designer just starting out and as an entrepreneur, Black for me also had a very different meaning: I used it not only because it contrasts so gorgeously with skin, but also because black was the only material that I could allow myself to use. Colour was just too expensive! In those early years I only made a collection if there was enough money. I could then draw on my enormous stock of black material. For the majority of designers just starting out, the use of colour was very important. But I have always seen black as my lucky colour. That lovely black has laid the basis for the growth of my company'.

Marlies did everything herself; from the design, sitting behind a sewing machine up to and including the distribution and publicity. She travelled all over the place with her designs, dreaming - but determined. There were times when she was unceremoniously shown the door by uncomprehending managers. Nonetheless, after five years she had managed to build up 40 sales outlets for her products and there were four people working in the company, among them her sister Anja and former husband Peter Wagenaar.

Undressed in the Kunsthal

With 40 outlets, growth had really taken off; she could not really handle any more customers. Even though Marlies was convinced that there were many more retailers potentially interested in her products, the young company simply did not have the capacity to grow any further.

That she was not the only one who believed in her designs though became apparent in 1997 when the Rotterdam Kunsthal invited her to stage a major retrospective exhibition of the brand. The vision of the then director of the Kunsthal Wim van Krimpen and conservator Wim Pijbes placed Marlies and Undressed in on the cultural map in a spectacular fashion.

'I'm gonna make you a star'

In 1998, two events in the life of Marlies gave it a completely new twist. First of all there was the birth of her daughter Zilver, something that made a deep impression on the designer.

As well as the great joy surrounding the birth of her baby there was also the threatened bankruptcy of the Belgian producer with whom she had worked so closely.

'Nobody wanted to or could manage to make what I had in my head. The Belgian factory was eventually taken over by the trade unions and the seamstresses were in total rebellion'.

Marlies and her team were doomed, it seemed, to be sucked in to the bankruptcy of their neighbours to the South.

And then a small miracle occurred. In this same period of turmoil, Marlies was asked to design a one-off collection for the Dutch Turnover brand. For this she was required to travel for the first time alone to Hong Kong. Before leaving the Netherlands, Marlies was given the tip to try and throw her lot in with Andrew Sia, according to insiders at that moment the best producer in Hong Kong for her designs.

'I will never forget how Andrew picked me up in a people carrier in Hong Kong from my hotel. He had to go to the doctor and I had to go to the factory to explain my collection. That evening, my dream was unexpectedly given a second chance with a single telephone call. I was sitting there feeling lonely and alone in a youth hostel when Andrew Sia called me from the ultra-hip Felix bar of the Peninsula Hotel and assured me down the line that: 'I'm gonna make you a star!'

These turned out to be far from empty words; Sia's belief in the ideas and ambitions of the designer saved the company. He became a shareholder, the production was shifted to Hong Kong, where at the same time space for a sample room was created; a place where new ideas could be developed.

In the millennium year the company changed its name from Undressed to marlies|dekkers. Within three years the sales team succeeded in boosting the number of retail outlets from 40 to 300.

Home grown

The number of personnel also grew in this period like lightening; from 25 up to 150 people. Her network of suppliers expanded steadily. Collaborative ties that go back years, along with great personal involvement make the product into something unique. It is employees of Marlies for instance who train the machinists on-site in the making of her lingerie. The complexity of it demands a lot of attention and requires a lot of skill on the part of the primarily female production co-workers. The suppliers hold craftsmanship, just as Marlies and her constantly expanding team do, to be of paramount importance.

To further intensify the cooperation with South Asia, at the end of 2006 an office was opened in Hong Kong.

It is no coincidence that 80% of her employees are female; Marlies has made it a deliberate policy. Right from the beginning she has been an excellent talent scout; the recognition and development of talent is a strongly developed aspect of her character, both on the creative as well as the business side of things. And it just so happens that in addition to her creative talent, she has a remarkable business instinct and a perfect feel for perfect marketing.

Marlies is also very proud of the fact that a good proportion of her self-taught personnel, her home grown talent, has gone on to achieve management positions within the company.

The first shop

At the beginning of the 21st Century, Marlies took her first steps in to the retail market.

'Wholesale and retail are always seen as two totally different specialisms, and people from all sides were advising me not to open my own shops. But who is to tell us that we should not have both those aspects of business in our hands? If we can dream it, we can do it!'

It began in 2002 with the shop in Antwerp, under the leadership of the formidable Pom Lameir. Two years later Rotterdam followed, the year after that Amsterdam and then in rapid succession she opened three more outlets: Bangkok (2006), Maastricht and of course Paris (2007). In addition to lingerie, swimwear and sunglasses, the shops also sell articles such as scented candles and (her own design) chocolates. In marlies|dekkers stores the hand of the designer is visible everywhere. A benevolent atmosphere of intimacy and craftsmanship reign. The warm colours, open hearth fire and lounge space in a combination of modern and classic, make the purchase of lingerie into a delightful party. In a dedicated and skilful manner the charming sales women advise and lead the customers.

That more shop openings are on the way in the very near future should surprise no-one any longer. Amsterdam, after the opening of the shop in the Cornelis Schuyt Straat in 2005, is again next in turn already. In December 2007, the second marlies|dekkers shop in the capital opens at Berenstraat 18, slap bang in the middle of the shopping Valhalla known as the '9 Straatjes' (9 Streets).

Haute Couture

Inspiration can be drawn from anywhere; fine art, philosophers, films, nature. From the cinema of Stanley Kubrick, the tales of the brothers Grimm and the paintings of Gustav Klimt, to contemporary architecture and Victorian flower etiquette, Marlies soaks up her influences, processes them through her unique vision, and translates them in turn into extraordinarily lovely products. Or as one of her very happy customers put it: 'These bras, they're pure haute couture; mine feels entirely as if it were made for me personally!’ The saleswomen in the various marlies|dekkers shops are regularly entrusted with the sweetest, most intimate observations.

The collections have - just like the business itself - in recent years expanded strongly. On this, Marlies is short and concise: 'We have three pillars; Undressed is everything that goes under clothing; Sundressed is everything for in the sun, and Nightdressed is everything for the evening and night'.

Proud and fabulous

Marlies Dekkers has with the passage of time more than proven her great and multi-facetted talent. Her designs are regarded nationally and internationally as modernizing, trendsetting and innovative. Her groundbreaking designs and distinct philosophy have changed the lingerie market forever. She works from the assumption that there is beauty and power in every woman. Not for nothing is her motto "Dare to be".

More and more celebrities from the worlds of film, showbiz and music have been spotted wearing marlies|dekkers lingerie: Christina Aguilera, Diana Ross, Anastasia, Rihanna, The Pussycat Dolls, Candy Dulfer, Pink, Nelly Furtado and Carice van Houten.

During the elections for the Businesswoman of the Year it was even whispered by a lady-in-waiting present among the public that the Netherlands' Princess Mabel is a fan!

'I recently received an SMS from the Black Satin lingerie boutique at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas: 'Courtney Love has just bought half the shop!' A week after this I saw her flanked by Kate Moss and Stella McCartney in The Sun newspaper, proud and fabulous in my Fairytale bra! Yes, it does sometimes make me feel a bit giddy!''


Caterpillar

Despite having started out with black, a lucky colour that she will always be loyal to, Marlies Dekkers does now want to shine in full colour. She once dreamed as a start-up entrepreneur of a single shop filled with black. These days, with each new collection her company boasts the loveliest prints and fabric detailing. She sees the story-book colours and prints as a symbol of the future; worldwide, innovative, unique and totally 'Marlies'.

The ambitions of Marlies Dekkers are huge; some of her girl friends have compared her to the Hungry Caterpillar, the one from the children's book of the same name that hungers for more and more. She finds she has to laugh at the description:

'I just won't rest until women all over the world are proud of their own bodies, determined and seductive in all aspects of their lives! If I can help this come about with my designs then I will be a very happy woman!'

For the women of Milan, London, Dubai, Tokyo, St. Petersburg, Rome, Moscow, Shanghai, New York, and Los Angeles, where shops are vying to open next, this day is coming ever closer. Whom You Know readers- visit her boutique at the Plaza Hotel! Peachy Deegan chatted wtih Marlies Dekkers!

Peachy Deegan: When did you realize you wanted to design lingerie?
Marlies Dekkers: At already a very young age, seven to be exact, I was fascinated by lingerie and asked my mother for suspenders. You can imagine that my mom declined my odd request…Nevertheless it kept captivating me. I just found lingerie so beautiful and yet so mysterious. For me it was a big mystery I couldn’t understand at the time. During my studies at the Sint Joost Academy for Art and Design my work was very conceptual. I always liked to design close to the body which became my signature right from the start. But it was not before I graduated that I had a clear vision and recognized my work as lingerie, this was the start of something big!

How do you think lingerie differs in different parts of the world if at all?
I think the difference in the world of lingerie depends on how women look at it. A lot of lingerie these days is designed from a man’s point of view and what he finds attractive and sexy. I design from a feminine point of view. My dream has always been to design lingerie in which women can feel beautiful and seductive, but at the same time powerful and independent. Therefore it is really important for me to decide whether women are ready for my kind of lingerie before entering new markets. I design to please women. However a woman has to be able to dream, to discover and to explore which makes some potential markets just not ready yet. I think that this part makes the difference within the current lingerie market.

What do you recommend Manhattan women wear and Manhattan men buy for them?
I believe every woman has her own uniqueness’s and beauty despite her age, size or color. I think it is very important that a woman feels comfortable in her clothing and that starts with wearing the right lingerie. Unfortunately women tend to have a different view of who they are and I try to create designs that allow women to accept themselves as they are and feel comfortable about it.

Has Eloise (lives in the plaza, fictional) snuck into your store? What did she try to buy?
Yes, Eloise is a special lady. I would say that she has grown up and is a bit naughtier than 10 years ago hahaha ;-) She seems to be a true fan of my secrets collection.

What is your favorite place to be in NYC?
I always like to visit the many art galleries and museums such as Guggenheim, Metropolitan and MoMa. Very inspiring!

What is your favorite shop?
Droog New York. An interior design store located between Spring and Broome that sells unique pieces of great designers. Droog recently opened its doors.

What is your favorite drink?
Fresh fruit juices – can’t have enough of them!

What is your favorite restaurant?
There are so many good restaurants in The City but my favorites are: TAO, Nubu, Ono at Gansevoort, Butter.

What is your favorite NYC book?
I like the work of Bret Easton Ellis, especially American Psycho. This book is written so sharply, so insistent. After I finished it I stopped reading for one and a half years!

What is your favorite thing to do in NYC that you can do nowhere else?
Just walking around, feeling the vibrant, dynamic atmosphere. I love the cultural heritage of New York, the people, the fashion, art. You never know what the day will bring you, who is around, what will happen– that is what I love about New York!

What do you think is most underrated and overrated here?
I don’t believe that there is something overrated or underrated. I think people just have to come to New York to experience the city and its dynamic character. Ask 20 people about their connection or experiences with New York and they will all tell you something different, something unique.

What else should Whom You Know readers know about you?
Dare to Be – my life mission

How would you like to be contacted by Whom You Know readers?
www.marliesdekkers.com