Isabel Marant on 30 years in fashion, finding a laid-back Parisian style – and sticking to it

Isabel Marant, the fashion label that has come to define modern French style for a generation of women, is turning 30 this year. Three decades in business as an independent brand in an industry dominated by large luxury groups is not an easy feat. By building a strong foundation and sticking to her vision, its namesake founder – Isabel Marant, the woman whose personal style is as admired and copied as her creations – has shown that it can be done.

So what’s the secret sauce to Isabel Marant’s staying power and loyal following? Though the brand’s aesthetic has changed little over the last three decades, it is just as appealing now as it was back in the early 2000s. Central to this is the way her look is far from polished and studied: think distressed denim worn with slouchy pirate boots, and paired with a frilly blouse over a leather jacket; chunky knitwear and skinny leather pants that elongate the silhouette; and short dresses that skim the body, worn with cowboy boots. A cool Parisian girl who’s a tomboy at heart is how you might describe it – and how 56-year-old Marant herself has been dressing since she was a teenager growing up in the French capital, scavenging in thrift stores and putting together outfits with the nonchalance that only French women seem to possess.

Clad in a navy jumper that has seen better days and looks even greater for it, jeans and trainers, Marant is a diminutive figure next to the towering Kim Bekker, who has been at the label for more than a decade and has been artistic director since 2021. As the company has grown, Marant – who calls herself a bit “messy” and more focused on the creative side – has expanded her team significantly, with three women at the top (the brand’s CEO is Anouck Duranteau-Loeper). Although Bekker has come to embody the Isabel Marant aesthetic and DNA, she brings an outsider’s perspective. For starters, she’s from the Netherlands, meaning that like many women around the world, she’s always been fascinated by that ineffable ability of French women to look fabulous and like they just got out of bed at the same time. As with Marant herself, who shuns make-up and is the opposite of a fashion victim.

“It’s very important for me to give space and freedom to each person wearing my clothes so that they become their own person,” says Marant. “For many brands, you have to wear head to toe and [can] look like a catalogue. But that’s what I love about fashion, that you have space for many different styles, approaches and characters.”

As someone who joined the brand later, Bekker relishes her role as a sounding board for Marant while also bringing her own aesthetic – not necessarily a complete reflection of the founder’s vision. Marant, for instance, is not a fan of bags (shoes are her thing), while Bekker likes to incorporate more accessories like handbags and jewellery into outfits to “complete the look”.

“Because I’m not French, I became more Parisian by working with her. When I came here for the first time, she was the ultimate cool Parisian girl and she still is, and to me that vibe is the essence of everything,” says Bekker.

“That’s so important. Everything has to be good, cool and authentic and never fake, and you can pick an item and still keep your own identity. She is so good at creating clothes that you can wear to create so many different looks, the way you wear it or twist it or tuck something in your pants.”