Marques'Almeida is growing up very nicely indeed. We all remember their take-the-world-by-storm frayed denim jacket from 2014, much since copied by the giants of fashion. In those seven years since hitting the mainstream fashion radar (and 11 years since launching their label), Marques'Almeida (otherwise known as M'A now) have moved their studio to Portugal (their home country) from London and have quietly grown a solid business embedding sustainable production practices at its core with their ReMAde collections, alongside working with their community of friends and family in their campaigns, their fashion shows and their collaborations.

Their see-now-buy-now approach to launches means that their most recent digital fashion show is all available to buy immediately. Great summer essentials of patchwork dresses and accessories, upcycled deadstock jackets and seperates were all introduced along the shores of a beautiful Portuguese beach at dusk - M'A are definitely ones for getting us in the summer mood.


Yet not many might have registered the fact that this Pre-Fall collection celebrates the M'AKERS of their cloths (geddit? Clever!). Founders Marta Marques and Paulo Almeida wanted to put the work of the partners actually producing the clothes front and centre. In order to preserve the artisanal expertise that has traditionally been passed down through generations of oral and practical knowledge, M'AKERS has also established a research and mentoring programme.

This season, five Portuguese M’AKERS – artisans who created special pieces for the show - are  at the forefront. Under the guiding inspiration of the collection -  time spent by the sea in the North of Portugal - the pieces came alive. “We were in touch with the local craft councils," the founders shared, "and we travelled around and met different artisans, developed great relationships, and felt really inspired by the whole environment.”


The sculptural pieces that came from this collaboration are meant to not only empower the local community, but also preserve the ancestral knowledge it takes to create them. “We met Fatima, who weaves beautiful rugs, because we bought some of her rugs at a market”, say the designers, proving that inspiration can also be found while decorating one's home.

The use of patchwork, fish scales and embroidery are also highlights on some of the garments of the M’A show. “One of the artisans, Sofia, creates the most beautiful embroideries using fish scales, and she was working by the sea, and we watched her discovering objects in rock pools”, the design duo told us. These experimental research pieces are one-offs but help tell the bigger story of pushing boundaries on materials, production and craft.


We've long admired Marques’Almeida and their team for committing to community building, environmentally-respectful product development and for constantly highlighting those voices in the fashion industry in production that often get overlooked. And by the way, they make M'ADLY WONDERFUL clothes too. Can you tell we're fans? And you should be too!

Head over to support the M'AKERS now on www.marquesalmeida.com