Presenting her SS21 collection during Paris Fashion Week in the form of a dystopian film, the 28-year-old designer is experimenting with recycled materials - leading the fashion industry towards a future with less waste

Last season, Marine Serre appeared at Paris Fashion Week like a prophetic figure.

With Covid-19 about to be declared a pandemic, and the growing popularity of face coverings, interest in the masks Serre has released for three consecutive quarters - originally intended to protect wearers from contamination - has reached a new high.

"It's about being in tune with The Times you live in, being as clear and pragmatic as possible."

Directed by Sacha Barbin and Ryan Doubiago, the short film stars Iranian-Dutch singer Sevdaliza, Serre's friend Juliet Merie, and the designer's catwalk staples (including Amalia Vairelli). The title was "Amor Fati" (Latin phrase meaning "the love of fate").

The film's protagonists take us from one dystopian landscape to another, from the landscape of a sterile laboratory to the landscape of Mars; The film's midpoint is jaw-dropping, recalling the infamous scene in Luis Bunuel's Un Chien Andalou (1929).

Continually experimenting with recycled materials and drawing inspiration from the narratives of previous seasons, Serre is determined to take the apparel industry to a future with less waste pollution, as the film reveals, not to dismiss new things just because it's a story, but to incorporate these associations into the fabric of our clothing over time.

MarineSerrePortrait_ChrisColls.jpg Do you think people are buying fashion more consciously now (especially in the last six months)?

"During the lockdown, our social media was very active and people began to take the time to learn about what we did. They're thinking back and thinking about why they dressed the way they did and questioning the choices they made."

Can you describe the main themes you want to explore in Amor Fati and the experience you want people to get from watching it?

I don't want to do a show for SS21, I don't want people to travel - it would be nice to have another fashion week where people don't fly and help save the planet.

The important thing is to keep the characters connected to the way they dress, to empower them by what they wear, and then to what we wear ourselves. In the film, we walk through three simultaneous worlds: a body of water, a mountain, and another [environment] that is more clinically significant, and all three of these worlds bring different sensations.

Some pieces are seductive, others dangerous.

But all the time, it's the same people, but the costumes change the roles. Clothes are tools to make people feel protected - and that makes sense right now.

For me, the core of the film is that it reflects what is happening in the world and at the same time imagines the future of society.

It calls into question the last six months of our lives, a time when we didn't know what was real and what was a dream.

During the lockdown, how do you maintain your creative energy and keep innovating with your team?

We talk every day. The team looks out for each other and supports each other. This is an opportunity to bring us closer together in the midst of difficulties and challenges. It's also a time when creativity thrives. We try to stay positive and pass on fun and [time] as a way to relax - like working with dancer Nick Coutsier in his "Body Party" warm-up.

From hooded coats made with embroidered cushion covers to jackets reshaped with artificial blankets, you'll always find ways to give materials a new look.

What areas are you focusing on in your design development this season?

How is it represented in the film?

Multifunctional clothing with multiple pockets is an important part of this concept. There are a lot of details you don't see in the first scene of the film - many novel construction forms, such as a tailored jersey jacket, a moire silk skirt made of recycled materials, and the tight cycling shorts that match the skirt are also made of circular jersey.

Some of the pieces repeat techniques we've used before, such as the clothes made of carpet, each one unique. And that's very important, because that's why we've created so many things. It gives people time to explore the brand's identity and expands our vision beyond the fashion world to a wider audience.

In the final part of the film, the band is inspired by mountaineering clothing, which contrasts with historical references such as petticoats. The idea of the veil came from walking down the street and thinking, 'Well, how can I turn this into something better?' '

What are the main challenges of using recycled materials to make clothing? How did you deal with the challenge?

We realized that producing clothing from recycled materials was taking too long to deliver to stores as intended. So we fixed the problem by changing the delivery date. Ensuring production time is a top priority.

Since October 2019, we have been working on the SS21 collection to ensure that we have enough time to produce it properly, without squeezing the production time and thereby compromising the quality of the product.

How did it feel to see Beyonce and her dancers in brown crescents-printed tights on "Already"?

Beyonce is our client, and we are big fans of her work.

In the case of Black Is King, the collaboration started in the first half of 2019 when we were approached by fashion designer Zerina Akers and her team. Seeing Beyonce in our clothes and knowing that she feels good about it makes me feel good.