The Marques’Almeida Founder Talks About Her Decade In Fashion
Things have changed so much over the past decade. The market has shifted, COVID forced us to grow up and the way we approach making the collection is now completely different. That said, the 90s are always our reference point; it’s our DNA. Of course, the boyfriend jeans and denim corsets will always be there, but we’re now designing more evening pieces, experimenting with draping, new fabrications and prints. The volatility of the world has actually pushed us to be freer and more creative,” Marta says. It felt lighter, fresher, the colours are brighter, the shapes more fluid. It’s a time of exploration but everything is still rooted in who we are.
If there’s one thread that runs through Marques’Almeida, it’s community. Since 2015, we’ve cast our shows to include friends, family and people close to us. Some models started with us at 16 and now they’re 30. Sometimes mums walk with daughters, sisters with babies – it feels like a Christmas gathering every season. Clothes should be passed on, borrowed, swapped. They’re part of people’s lives and stories. That’s always been more important to us than trends.
That philosophy is what’s made our recent partnership with Dylon feel like a natural fit. It’s so focused on sustainability and ensuring clothes last through generations, so it resonated immediately. We design pieces with soul, that are instinctive and long-lasting. Working with Dylon highlighted how care is as important as design. I’ll admit I was terrible at laundry before but now I see that preserving your pieces is essential.
I know it might sound cliché but there really isn’t anything trendy about the way we approach things. Marques’Almeida has always been about building a wardrobe of signature pieces. We’re still obsessed with the basic codes – jeans, shirts – and we believe that if we wear something in a certain way now, it doesn't mean that in 20 years’ time you won’t be able to to wear it anymore. You can, just styled in a different way.
Effortless is the word I’d use to describe my own style. I never overthink an outfit – it has to feel instinctive. I'll go to a bank meeting in Crocs just because it feels right. Clothes should never feel like rules, they should feel like you. Sometimes it’s an oversized shirt with heels, sometimes a tight dress with flats. It doesn’t matter if you’re going to Tesco or the red carpet, it's about how clothes make you feel. I've built a huge collection of shirts – stripes, embroidery, feathers – but the cut is always oversized. Once you find those things that feel like you, then you stop experimenting with fast fashion. You invest, swap with friends, pass things down. That's the style that lasts.
We’ve been lucky enough to have many career highlights but there are a few that really stand out. Winning the LVMH Prize in 2015 changed everything. Sitting in front of the panel – Phoebe Philo, Marc Jacobs, Raf Simons, Nicolas Ghesquière – it was surreal. The advice, the mentorship, the sense of possibility… and we were up against the likes of Jaquemus, Virgil Abloh and Glenn Martens. Winning was both career and life defining.
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We recently got a call from Beyoncé to design a look for her Texas show on the Renaissance tour. We had three days to create pieces for her and her dancers. Rihanna was one of our earliest supporters too. We met her at the British Fashion Awards when we won the Emerging Talent – Womenswear Award in 2014. Hearing her say she couldn’t wait for our next collection meant so much. That said, I honestly get the same kick out of seeing someone on the bus in Dalston or walking down the street in one of our designs.
Right now, the challenge is balancing creativity with viability. Keeping the lights on, keeping our team supported, that’s always front of mind. The people who work with us are our biggest priority. We want to sustain a business that allows us to create freely while keeping our community intact. Fashion at its best is about creativity and community. In a volatile world, those things matter more than ever. Our hope is that people leave our shows and wear our clothes feeling fresher, freer and more empowered.
You should always wear what makes you feel empowered. That’s the secret to great style. Look after the pieces you love and they’ll carry you through all of life’s moments. That’s what Marques’Almeida is about – clothes with soul.
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