As a brand with a wide reach across Europe and a renewed emphasis in North America, Marc Cain is anything but mass. The quality and production is unmatched by many whom the brand would call its competitors. For the German label’s Spring/Summer 2018 collection, creative director Karin Veit focused on the high-powered looks that Marc Cain has become well known for, mixing romance with functionality and elements of sportif.
The practice of bringing duelling styles together was present in the venue of the show as well. Set in Berlin’s iconic ’90s techno club E-Werk, the runway featured a lavender floral wall, which signalled the collection’s private-garden theme. Needless to say, only in Berlin are you able to throw a garden party in an erstwhile techno club. Here, Veit reveals her inspiration behind the collection, and what makes Germany’s capital such an outstanding muse.
INSPIRATION
“I get ideas for new designs at the most impossible places, where fashion is not related: while driving the car, having a shower, or on the couch. But I also get inspired by my trips, nature, big cities like Berlin or Paris, and by art and art galleries. The new Spring/Summer collection consists of power looks for strong women. Influences came from the ’70s and ’80s. The whole colourful flower theme was inspired by nature’s impressions. Classic denim patterns are adorned with corded bows and opened hems, providing new inspiration and giving denim a feminine upgrade.”
INCEPTION
“At the beginning of the process there is always a vision. To get a feeling for the ideas, mood boards with different sketches, pictures, patterns, and colours are created. Then my design team is looking for suitable yarns and fabrics. After the design is chosen, the pattern drawing will be captured. [In this process], the designers hand over their ideas to the technical team, which creates sewing patterns and prototypes of the articles. In total, the [design] team consists of 27 designers, and is divided into several smaller divisions. We separate the team into our different labels, Marc Cain Collections and Marc Cain Sports. To ensure the best quality for our products, we have specialized teams for knitwear, jersey woven goods, leather, and accessories. I [also] try on every piece in the collection to evaluate the fit and comfort.”
BRAND DNA
“We are always trying to be innovative and forward-thinking in every aspect. Our customer is a self-confident, open-minded, natural, and curious woman. She lives in the moment and loves being a woman. At Marc Cain, the fashion is always a little bit different and yet always true to itself. Distinctive and unmistakable — that is the vision of Marc Cain. Not only to be a perfectly coordinated outfit but, above all, combining a sense of aesthetics and art with a laid-back attitude.”
BERLIN FACTOR
“Berlin is a very young, trendy city. I always find it very inspiring to be here, and I am constantly discovering new things when I’m out and about. There’s a lot going on right now, especially in the young designer scene. I would definitely recommend to take a step into art galleries in Berlin’s Mitte borough to discover some fresh, new paintings. You should leave the main streets and go to the little side roads to find small shops and studios of young fashion designers. Berlin is full of ambitious talents who are definitely underrated.”