Minirine in Montenegro: when a trip inspires the design of the "Trésor" and "Raw" motifs
Some time ago, we collaborated with our friend Marine, founder of the Minirine brand. Two of her designs, "Raw" and "Trésor", now feature in our catalog.
Portrait of an artist from Roubaix with an abundance of creativity and a passion for travel, as inspired as she is inspiring.
Marine, what inspired your "RAW" and "TRESOR" designs?
It all started with a trip to Montenegro. These two designs are part of a collection called "Montenegro".
There, I was fascinated by the raw power of the landscape and the majesty of the Durmitor mountains. Scorched roots snaked through the cracks in the rock. I felt a kind of nostalgia for the dryness of the vegetation, but also the impression of a unique, almost mysterious picture, between nature and brutality.
I took a lot of photos on the spot, which fed into my entire creative process.
Raw" pattern - Minirine
Trésor" motif - Minirine
So you created the designs from your own photos?
Exactly. I reworked these images, adding a black background to bring out the white and grey of the rock in "Raw", and the green of the succulent plants in "Trésor".
In general, in my work, I like to cover bodies with my drawings. I want to take people on a journey with me, into my imagination. For "Raw" and "Trésor", natural elements are printed on leggings, with a design that starts at the foot and goes up to the knee, as if nature were taking over the body.
This is also how we imagined, with U-Exist, the placement of these patterns on the fittings. From the bottom of the body (roots) to the top.
Photo - Nadia Otshudi
How would you describe your "Minirine" brand? What is the concept behind it?
Originally, Minirine was my artist name. I finally gave it to my brand because it became my means of expression: a world in my own image, at once colorful, graphic and fun!
The concept, as I mentioned earlier, is to cover bodies with my drawings or photos to bring my art to life, literally. Each piece is conceived as a second skin. I love to print bodies - especially bodies in motion.
"Make your body a medium for creating art in motion everywhere, all the time" is my mantra. This phrase sums up the concept perfectly. That's why I talk about "Artwear" rather than sportswear or ready-to-wear: behind the technical work (pattern-making, sewing, styling), there's a genuine artistic approach.
www.minirine.com
What's the inspiration for your next collection?
My latest collection was created in collaboration with my photographer friend Clémentine Fauquet, a mutual friend of Simon (founder of U-Exist).
Clem and I have both visited the Cenotes of Yucatan, Mexico. Although we went at different times, we were impressed by the depth and hypnotic beauty of these natural wells. Clémentine came back with hundreds of shots - of the surface of the water, its inner and outer reflections... It was these photos that we used to create the patterns.
They were printed on lycra garments at the U-Exist workshop in Roubaix. The collection can already be seen on the @minirineofficial instagram account.
Photos: Clémentine Fauquet - IG @cosmicclementine
Photos: Clémentine Fauquet - IG @cosmicclementine
Cenotes" collection - discover it on IG @minirineofficial
And you're also in Roubaix?
Yes, I work from my studio in Roubaix. All my collections are available on my e-shop www.minirine.com, but it's also possible to meet me by appointment. In the meantime, I invite you to dive into my world on my website or on Instagram @minirineofficial.