Who is Marie Adam-Leenaerdt? The young designer who opened Paris Fashion Week

After launching her first collection in Paris last February, at only 27 years old, Adam-Leenaerdt returns to the French capital where she opens Fashion Week. A graduate of La Cambre National School of Visual Arts in 2020, she subsequently worked for iconic houses Balenciaga and Givenchy before creating her eponymous brand. The latter offers fearless and versatile creations that reinvent feminine forms and challenge contemporary conventions of femininity.

Her first collection took place in an ordinary conference room at the Crowne Plaza hotel near République. The silhouettes were not extravagant but rather focused on the quality of the cut, demonstrating a certain attention to detail that is sometimes overlooked. Pushing the boundaries of the concept of deconstruction, a technique associated with Martin Margiela and the rest of the Antwerp Six, the Belgian designer managed to capture the attention of the fashion elite without relying on current trends or adhering to codes. Instead, we saw knee-high boots made adaptable with zippers, long coats with raised lapels, and more concealed looks that challenged the idea of what makes a look "sexy." Having received very positive reviews in Vogue and WWD, she made a name for herself with strangely simple looks that prompted reflection. For her second collection, Adam-Leenaerdt chose the theater of Maison des Métallos in the 11th arrondissement. The neutral white space served as a backdrop for the abstract collection, which, according to the designer, was designed as a continuation of her previous one.

Playing with the idea of seasonality, she once again delivers a collection full of surprising and playful looks. «I really want these pieces to endure over time, and therefore to find ways with materials and colors,» explains Adam-Leenaerdt backstage at her opening show. She expressed her desire to ensure that her pieces last a long time by creating multi-purpose looks, such as a swimsuit that also serves as a 'cover-up' dress. This attention to detail and practicality is perhaps precisely what defines her latest collection, the idea that a piece can be worn in several different ways and can be styled according to one's desires. Some things are certain. The idea-rich designer has once again managed to break the codes, offer silhouettes that require special attention to detail, and use all the tricks and techniques in her design arsenal to ensure that each piece is not as simple as it seems. «It's important for me to give garments a certain status and to provide that strength because for me, surprise is always important. I think that's what we lose a bit in fashion today.»