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.