Marieyat is normal, in the most abnormal sense and if you haven’t been properly introduced to Marieyat, you are in for a pleasant surprise.
By Madeleine Holth
London-based designer, Marieyat is one of those brands that will make you reconsider the meaning of ‘sexy’ and the endless unexplored possibilities between comfort and design for underwear and swimwear. Marie of Marieyat has taken a slow and steady approach to fashion after achieving her CSM BA degree in fashion design, which has resulted in her yearly collections feeling complete, sincere and perfected.
Marieyat is not just another brand serving underwear and swimwear, each piece is cut, sewn and detailed to perfection and with precision. Her collections are different from all the other undergarment brands on the market, challenging the concepts of what is sexy and how it feels.
“I have always been interested in collecting different kinds of lingerie. However, when I was looking for modern and comfortable undergarments, I realised there were very limited choices that are emphasised on the duality of interesting designs and comfortability (i.e. when it's comfortable normally it looks like “granny pants”, explains Marie of Marieyat.
Marieyat embraces the modern woman and the bodies of real women. Her line of undergarments truly represents a new era of body positivity.
“ My relationship with the female body has changed so much over the years. I went from hating my body as a teenager, wishing the body would change and look like someone else's, to now being so grateful for this body because of the strength and power it gives. It is important to be gentle to your body”.
So what is contemporary femininity? If you had asked 15 years ago it would probably be the push-up bra. Marie has her own idea of contemporary femininity, “femininity is very fluid to me. It is ever-changing, multi-faced and personal, there is no “one-size fits all”.
In the category of undergarments, there have, for many years, been a wide gap between the selection for women, pretty much like Halloween costumes; Either you’re a witch, or you’re a sexy nurse. Same goes for undergarments you’re either a sexy vixen in red, or you wear “granny panties”, as Marie mentioned earlier.
“I think there have been a lot of changes for underwear over the last 10 years. I feel like women today are very open and more accepting of their own bodies and know what they want. And I think it's important to have different options to cater for everyone”, explains Marie.
So do women really need a third option in their lingerie drawer? Do women want good looking lingerie that doesn’t give them a rash, slide up the bum or is noticeably visible through whatever they choose to wear on top?
“Marieyat was born out of a desire to offer a new option for someone who likes minimal designs with modernity and comfortability in mind. Also creating campaigns that are relatable for women is a driving force for us. Our goal is to create underwear that is a hybrid of style and comfort. It could be an undergarment, loungewear, or a layering piece for going out”, explains Marie.
There are definitely more than three types of lingerie on the market today, but, there is only one Marieyat. Someone who pushes for comfort, freedom and femininity - whilst giving close-to-body an aesthetic and an idea worth playing with.
For 2019, Marie explained to us what it means to be a modern woman, which sums up our only resolutions for the year. “Embrace your true self and body; both strength and weakness”.
