Marylène Aesthetics Madou Eclectic

IN CONVERSATION WITH THE TRAILBLAZING, & HUMBLE TALENT THAT IS MARYLÈNE MADOU

Marylène Madou was established in Belgium early 2017, aptly named after the designer herself. Launching the brand with a very successful collection of printed scarves, print still is the ultimate starting point in each collection. Every textile print is created inhouse by the designer herself, exclusively using her own original paintings and digital illustrations. This is what makes a Marylène Madou print unique.

Coming from Belgium, a country with such an interesting history and different cultural influences, how do you think where you are from affects the work that you do?

As a textile design student, I constantly experienced this clash between the small rural town where my parents lived and Ghent, where I studied and which has such an important Medieval history. It’s typical for Belgian students to go back and forth, and then you have this mix of different languages and being able to travel easily: you are always just a few hours away from new cities and new countries. When I decided to take part of my studies in London, the surrealism of the big city and the typical little Flemish towns was even bigger. I have always been influenced by both: I loved strolling through all of the museums the cities have to offer and some of the first pieces I was highly influenced by, was a Kimono I saw in New York. But next to that, the rural countryside and simplicity of my childhood comes back to mind easily when designing.

What role do you think art and design play in our everyday lives and homes?

Collecting nice items for your home can really help you create that great energy and help you get positive emotions from your environment. I definitely believe in adding art and color to your home to keep your spirit up, and add personal touches.

Obviously your work is saturated with personality, how do you think your influences and personal experiences have impacted you and your work?

Traveling and my love for color are definitely the biggest influences in my work. It’s not easy and even more so quite difficult to introduce color and bold patterns to Belgian customers. But I am happy to have taken up my place as the young Belgian designer who is using color fearlessly and I love to have that reputation, which has helped me to stand out, and to start working internationally.

Working in a variety of different media and product outputs, what different memorable responses have you had to the different aspects of your art?

I would say the response of Maryna and João to my work is very memorable! There are a few things that really helped me; when a Belgian performer wore a Marylène Madou outfit on The Voice, or when I was asked to design a collection for the biggest retailer in the country. I am grateful for all these opportunities, big or small.

What’s the best piece of advice you have been given and how has this impacted your career / work?

Talk to people about what you do. I was very scared to talk and contact people in the beginning. I felt that as a designer, my work had to speak for itself and that my personality was less important. But people want to know you and see you on your social media. Emailing Maryna was also a big step for me. I have come a long way in this aspect of entrepreneurship.

What goals and plans are in store for the future of Marylène Madou?

Going international! It is my biggest dream and I am working on it every day.

The future is bright for this rising star of Flemish fashion, pushing the boundaries every day with a vivacious determination and designs that are thoughtful, interesting and unapologetically bold. We can’t wait to see what she does next!