THE COLLECTION

Founded in 2011, Marie France Van Damme fuses understated European elegance with dramatic Asian aesthetics to create a distinctly unique collection. Designed by Marie France, the collection is simple, elegant pieces, inspired by her many years of travel. Not constrained by the fast pace of fashion seasons, the collection is a reflection of Marie France’s lifestyle, with each timeless piece having been created for a specific purpose or event, rather than a time of year.

Our philosophy is to evoke a sense of confidence and quiet elegance, and to empower all our wearers, irrespective of season, shape, age, or time of day. The collection fills a gap in the market with a luxury resortwear collection of easy-to-wear, feminine shapes, and high-quality craftsmanship, with the boubou caftan being an essential piece. Each fabric is chosen directly from responsibly sourced suppliers from around the world, and produced in-house with special attention being given to the linings, stitching, and cutting of each garment.

THE HISTORY

Marie France entered the world of fashion at a young age after a summer internship in Montreal. Her brief encounter with the industry quickly changed her path, and in the early 80s she moved from Montreal to New York to head up her own private label business where she worked with some of the most renowned department stores in the US. Whilst travelling back and forth from NYC to the Orient on business, Marie France met and fell in love with her husband and decided to relocate to Hong Kong where she would eventually go on to start her label Marie France Van Damme.

One of the first Westerners to open a factory in China in the early 90s, Marie France designed and manufactured ladies garments for retailers such as Marks & Spencer, Monoprix, La Redoute, and Saks Fifth Avenue. After identifying a gap in the market for luxury resortwear, Marie France presented a small collection of samples to Harrods’ then Chief Merchant who bought it on the spot. The fashion label was born in 2011.

Marie France takes a hands-on approach at every stage of the supply chain - from fabric selections, to fittings, and detailing - and runs the label from their Hong Kong office with her husband and three sons. A perfect match for the brand.

We’re a modern day organization striving to develop and implement a business structure that fulfils the following;

Care for people, Care for planet, Re-distribution of surplus

We just happen to make beautiful clothes”

OUR CONCEPT

Focused on a Luxury Strategy as opposed to a Fashion Strategy, Marie France Van Damme’s products are timeless, seasonless and durable.

We encourage our followers to consume less and value what they possess. Our creations are made to be handed down from generation to generation. Disposal fast fashion has a detrimental environmental impact.

OUR SUPPLY CHAIN

90% of Marie France Van Damme’s output is produced and warehoused in our headquarters in Hong Kong.

A large majority of our fabric is silk which is a natural fibre that has minimal impact on the environment when treated properly.
With a new wave of strict environmental laws in China, the best weavers and dyers use natural dyes and process excess waste properly before it returns to the environment. China produces 88% of the world’s silk. Mulberry has high carbon sequestration capabilities and requires minimal human input to maintain. 
Our suppliers are small to medium sized enterprises that value generations of tradition and practice.
We conduct internal audits of all our suppliers.

“China produces the finest silks. France created the Jacquard Loom. Through the Silk Road, we continue to celebrate a history of nations and cultures. East Meets West, West Meets East.
Reared in Yangshao, Weaved in Lyon & Made in Hong Kong.” 

OUR SUPPLIERS

Marie France visits her suppliers in Lyon regularly where she designs and developed her silk and lurex patterns seen on signature pieces.

The dyeing mill we contract has invested in new technology such as waterless and chemical free carbon dyeing.

Lyon, known as the capital for Silk Weaving in France, has been making silks since the 1400’s for Royals and Nobles. LVMH and other staple high fashion houses have been active at acquiring facilities in France to preserve a unique heritage and know how.

Our mills have been making fabrics for the most iconic fashion houses for decades

 

OUR IN HOUSE PRODUCTION

 Marie France’s in house atelier has a team of up to 20 dedicated seamstresses that make up samples and final pieces day in day out

The average seamstress has over 30 years of experience making fine garments where many of them practiced couture techniques. Every item is cut one by one and completed by the same seamstress.

Marie France is part of the approval process for QA/QC and verifies every delivery before they are distributed internationally. Knitwear, Accessories and other larger orders are placed in Workshops within a two hour commute of the Atelier.

 

OUR HEADQUARTERS

We have taken various steps to reduce waste in our day to day work activities.

We replaced the lighting in our HQ with LED, reducing our electricity usage by 30% since 2016. Our pantries are fixed with water purification systems and glass bottles, highly discouraging single use plastics.
All our administrative processes are digital, reducing the use for physical paper trails saving space and a precious natural resource.
70% of our output is made and warehoused in our HQ, minimizing the need for transportation.

 

OUR COMMUNITY

 We strongly believe that industry can be the leading force in a sustainable future. In 2012, we launched a Permaculture initiative in Hong Kong demonstrating how individuals can be empowered to grow organic food and minimize use of resources we take for granted in our daily endeavors. We have since hosted thousands of individuals from school trips, yoga retreats and the local community that participate in experiencing a carbon free lifestyle.

  

 THE NEXT STEP

 We believe that the best path to a sustainable world is by empowering individuals and communities to create, produce and distribute their own added value goods and services. In August of 2018, we commenced an experimental farming incubator in the hills of Fujian Province, China, where we grow and process raw materials with permaculture principles into high valued products. This limits energy intensive supply chains and brings value to artisans that can benefit fully from their own craft. We aim to bring consumers closer to the source. Marie France Van Damme strives to be fully integrated having full control of it’s entire supply chain.