Marine Serre: the story behind the moon
TL;DR:
- Marine Serre played competitive tennis before she discovered fashion
- She interned at McQueen, Margiela and Dior, working at Balenciaga by day and on her own label by night
- Around half of her collections are made from recycled material
- The moon stands for hybridity, freedom and an inclusive view of the world
- She won the LVMH Prize in 2017, at twenty-five, with a single collection to her name
You see it everywhere. At festivals, on red carpets, on album covers and in the front rows of the biggest shows in the world. Always the same moon. Always Marine Serre.
It is one of those rare logos you recognise without knowing the name behind it. But behind that crescent moon is a designer with a very specific idea about what clothing should do. This is how she got there.
Who is Marine Serre?
Marine Serre grew up in a small village in Corrèze, in the middle of France. She played tennis at a high level, the kind of level where your week is built around training. When she stopped, she discovered fashion.
That happened partly through her grandfather, a collector and second-hand dealer. From him she learned something no academy teaches you: how to feel the value of a piece before you read the label.
After that it moved fast. She studied at La Cambre in Brussels, interned at Alexander McQueen, Maison Margiela and Dior under Raf Simons, and ended up at Balenciaga. By day she worked there for Demna. By night she built her own label, from a two-room apartment in Paris.
Where does Marine Serre's vision come from?
After the attacks in Paris and Brussels she asked herself the question every designer should ask: what am I actually saying here?
Her answer was Radical Call for Love, the graduate collection built around connection, hybridity and political weight. She worked with nineteenth-century dress history, Moroccan influences and street imagery from her own city. No escapism, but a direct response to the world as it was at that moment.
That approach has never changed. Around half of her collections are made from recycled and regenerated material: old scarves, discarded tablecloths, existing denim. Not as a marketing story after the fact, but as the starting point of the design. That places her in a generation of designers who treat sustainability as a point of departure, like the female designers shaping the future of fashion.
What makes Marine Serre's style recognisable?
Marine Serre cannot be filed under one category, and that is exactly the point. Sportswear next to couture. Futuristic silhouettes next to historical cuts. Body-conscious, but never objectifying.
Her clothing sits well on the body because she understands how a body moves. That is a lesson from the tennis court she never lost. The looks are recognisable as a result, without ever being the same.
What does the Marine Serre moon stand for?
The moon is her signature, but it is not a random logo. It stands for the values of the label: hybridity, freedom and an inclusive view of the world. Culturally neutral, universally recognisable and loaded with meaning at the same time.
You see it on catsuits, bodysuits, scarves and sneakers. Ariana Grande wore it on stage. So did Beyoncé. But the strongest proof is that the moon works just as well on someone seeing it for the first time who has never heard of Marine Serre.
Why do so many artists wear Marine Serre?
From Beyoncé to Dua Lipa, from Kehlani to Kylie Jenner: Marine Serre is a fixture in the wardrobes of the most influential women in the world. Not through campaigns or sponsorship deals, but because the clothing speaks for itself.
A moon print catsuit on the stage of a world tour is the strongest advertising there is. That is what happens when you make something people genuinely want to wear, rather than something they are paid to wear.
How did Marine Serre win the LVMH Prize?
In 2017 she won the LVMH Prize with a single collection to her name. The jury included names like Karl Lagerfeld and Phoebe Philo. She was twenty-five and sleeping five hours a night.
Paris concept store The Broken Arm put her work in the window next to Céline and Margiela, and everything sold out before she had properly worked out what to charge for it. Eight years on she is no longer a promise, but one of the few independent labels in Paris to have built a language of their own on their own terms.
Shop the full Marine Serre collection online at Winkelstraat. From the signature moon print to the Astra sneakers.
Marine SerreSilver Astra Metallic Leather Sneakers
FR 40
Marine SerreNeutrals Moon Repeating Crescent Bodysuit
M · L
Marine SerreOff-White Astra Crescent Accent Sneakers
FR 40 · FR 42 · FR 44
Marine SerreCAPPELLO BUCKET IN MOIRE
M/L
Marine SerreLeggings Moon White Black Moon
S · L
Marine SerreRed Moonogram Sheer Mesh Midi Skirt
M
Marine SerreShort Catsuit Moon Logo White Black Moon
S · M · L
Frequently asked questions about Marine Serre
What does the Marine Serre moon stand for?
The crescent moon stands for the core values of the label: hybridity, freedom and an inclusive view of the world. Marine Serre deliberately chose a symbol that is culturally neutral and recognisable everywhere, so that it works on someone who knows the label and on someone seeing it for the first time.
Is Marine Serre a sustainable label?
Around half of every collection is made from recycled and regenerated material, such as old scarves, tablecloths and existing denim. This is not a separate capsule but the starting point of the design process, which makes many pieces effectively one of a kind.
How does Marine Serre fit?
The body-conscious pieces such as catsuits, bodysuits and leggings fit close and stretch with the body. Jackets, tops and dresses generally follow French sizing. If you are between two sizes, size up on the knitted and draped pieces.
Where can you buy Marine Serre in the Netherlands?
Marine Serre is available online at Winkelstraat, with a rotating selection for women and men. Think the moon print on dresses, leggings and tops, plus accessories and the Astra sneakers.
Read also: female-founded fashion brands you should know and the Antwerp Six exhibition at MoMu Antwerp.
Images: @marineserre_official
Shop Marine Serre
Marine SerreBody a Maniche Lunghe in Tulle Ricamato
L
Marine SerreFlock Polo Shirt a Maniche Corte
L
Marine SerreCamicia Denim Maniche Corte con Tasche
46
Marine SerrePorta Carte Moon Logo
One Size
Marine SerreMoon Hole Mini Dress
40
Marine SerreTop Sportivo con Spalline Larghe e Motivo Grafico
L
Marine SerreTop Bra in Denim con Spalline e Chiusura Frontale
36 · 38 · 40
Marine SerreLeggings Moon Printed con Fascia Logo
S · M · L
Marine SerreMoon Jewelry Knit Open Neck Top
M · L
Marine SerreMoon Printed Leggings
S
