Marke
ABOUT THE LABEL
The brand MARKE, acronymic for designer Mario Keine, was launched in 2021 and is driven by the mindset to understand the human spirit and personality as a free and dynamic construct. MARKE creates collections which give the character room to simultaneously explore differing shapes of aesthetic, celebrating hybridity, fluidity, and eclecticism as paramount roles.
In a rich canon of inspiration, drawn from the spheres of art and culture, influences of historic decades and folklore as well as future époches, the collections explore contexts of past and present by playing with conventional and alternative approaches. Historic and innovative manufacturing techniques are balancing out the possibilities in production of apparel, jewelry and accessories.
All apparel collections are sourced circular, exclusively produced in Germany and Poland.
What non-fashion related sources or experiences have influenced your current collection?
"The new collection deals with the regional festivity of 'Schützenfest'. Originating in shooting fraternities to protect the villages during medieval ages, the raison d'etre has shifted in contemporary times towards being an amusement festival. Members of the shooting fraternity are shooting on a wooden bird, the one to shoot it off is declared king, friends and family to become queen and royal court, being presented in a festive parade through the village, accompanied by marching bands and drinking for several days.
As much as such festivals and traditions bring joy, laughter and a bond of community, as much exclusive and adjecting they are. Even in 2024 many of said shooting fraternities reject applications from woman to become member in majority decisions, quoting 'it has always been like this' or 'they have waited to apply for several hundred years, then they can wait some more'. Moreover it's not only the unwillingness to involve diversity of gender and ethnicity, but also chauvinistic and misogynistic ideas and behavior, fueled by excessive drinking at said festivities.
One of the USPs of MARKE is the reflection on the past, on traditions and values and the idea and constant need of setting them into modern context. Reflecting the past means learning from it and using this knowledge to build a better and more open-minded future. The collection is a critic on stagnancy in thinking and behavior with its blatant excuses of past customs.I personally feel the need to concern myself and others through my collections with societal issues, to rise awareness and start a reflection-process in people, giving my collections and work profound meaning."
All images, brand descriptions and further information are available at the official Berlin Fashion Week MEDIA HUB.
