Marion Liese - Marion Liese – Stand 3738
For years, Marion Liese designed lingerie that won awards, captivated the fashion media and inevitably boosted sales – all for companies that employed her. Early in 2009, the South African-born designer finally launched her own luxury lingerie label.“I wanted to put my handwriting on my work without restrictions,” says Marion, who triumphed at the Melbourne 2009 Fashion Exposed fair when she scooped the coveted Debut Apparel Award.
The winning streak is bound to continue at the forthcoming Sydney fair where Marion will exhibit her Spring-Summer 2010/11 collection – “vintage romance graduating to naughty seduction.” Raised in New Zealand, she holds a fine arts degree and had extra skills by the time she joined an Auckland lingerie firm – her first job in intimate apparel.
“I’d always made my own clothes and took a pattern-making course after I graduated from university,” says the designer who moved to Melbourne 15 years ago when she was headhunted by Finelines.
Its lingerie won an Australian Fashion Award while Marion was head designer. She was also the talent behind Willow Lingerie which made it onto WGSN’s Top 10 Watch List after her collection for the label was presented at the September 2007 Interfiliere Lyon.
“I spent six months on a business plan before I launched my label,” says Marion. “Doing your market research is vital. I can’t stress that enough.”