Looking Back Ahead
Mario Keine knew early on where he was heading. At the tender age of 13, he decided to become a fashion designer. In the schoolyard of the grammar school in Attendorn, Sauerland, all eyes were on him wearing silvercoated jeans trousers or smart jackets with ties and collars. Today, at 30, Mario Keine's childhood dreams have come true. His first fashion collection has been launched, he presented it at the Press Days of the Fashion Council Germany in Berlin. His label is called MARKE, an acronym of his first letters, and he already won one of the two prizes at the first strike a pose festival in Düsseldorf in cooperation with the artist Manuel Graf with his very first launched product, a chain necklace, which he showed as an artistic contribution to the gender debate. In an interview, the former student of the Düsseldorf Design Department reveals how he prepared himself for the challenges of the fashion market and why the journeys of his childhood play a key role in his first collection.
Mario, you founded your label in 2021, in the middle of the pandemic. That reveals a certain readiness to take risks. Is there a reason why you decided to take the step into self-employment at this particular time?
The conceptual development already took place in December 2019. At the time, I was working as a designer and art director at the Cologne design agency Bel Epok. Then, when the pandemic hit, the opportunity to work more on my own brand idea also opened up in terms of time. Back then, I tried to fi nd positive aspects of the pandemic. I was able to focus, digital sales fl ourished. And pandemic or not: in my view, there is no perfect time. You just have to take the risk.
You already knew you wanted to be a fashion designer when you were little. Can you remember your fi rst fashion moment?
When I was at nursery I used to draw women with protruding crinolines and laced traditional bodices. Whenever there was a parade of marksmen in our village, I always wanted to see the queen of the marksmen in her polyester outfit. I became fully aware of my fashion affinity when I was 13. In April 2005, I bought my first Vogue. A little later, I came across John Galliano's designs for Dior's 100th anniversary on the internet, which also made a lasting impression on me. Shortly after, I ordered a book on fashion drawing and started practising.
What fascinates you about fashion?
In theory: the possibility of personal expression. And in practice: the craft aspects, the processing details, which in the end determine the quality.
What qualities, strengths and virtues are indispensable to be able to survive as a young fashion label?
Healthy optimism, perseverance and patience. I refl ect very carefully on every step I take and allow myself enough time for my new developments. Otherwise, I believe that a young label needs a sustainable approach to have a raison d'être in the current situation. Every brand that enters the market should have such an approach anchored in its statutes.
The fashion industry is dominated by vertical global players. How do you feel about your position in such a scenario?
I don't think about that anymore. Comparing myself to others, in whatever form, takes me away from my own product. As all of us who are on social media know, constantly comparing ourselves to others is not helpful and tends to make us unhappy. That's why I'm constantly working on my own unique selling point.
Your current autumn/winter collection refers to childhood memories. Alpine and maritime elements tell of the holiday experiences of your childhood days. What prompted the decision to return to these early influences?
After working for many different clients, I wanted to rediscover my own signature look. The emotional access to a story helped me: my own biography. More precisely: the journeys of my childhood with my family, which took me repeatedly to Austria, but also to the Mediterranean.
You are producing exclusively menswear, but there are also elements with feminine connotations, such as transparent fabrics and lavish jewellery. Do you also appeal to a female or non-binary clientele?
Yes, absolutely. Although my cut constructions are based on the male body, they also work very well unisex. In fact, at the moment I sell more to women than to men.
Gender fl uidity is a topic that touches many areas of society, but manifests itself especially in fashion.
It is a very sensitive topic that is getting a lot of visibility at the moment. I think that is important and just. We must not cease raising awareness of the issues of the LGBTQ+ community. Only when these have reached the last corners of the country can it finally be seen as normal.
Your collections are not limited to textiles, you also develop jewellery and accessories. In 2021, you won a prize at the fi rst edition of the strike a pose festival. Your penis-link necklace, exhibited at the Van Horn Gallery in Düsseldorf, which corresponded with a phallic sculpture by Manuel Graf, caused a sensation. Were you and Manuel aiming for provocation? Was it about the deconstruction of patriarchy?
It was about a form of empowerment, but of course the statement of this necklace always depends on who wears it. Is it a chauvinist rapper or a feminist woman? You could take the penis links apart, deconstruct them, or you could appropriate the phalluses by putting the necklace around your neck. You see, this piece can be read in many ways.
Inspired by his travels to the Mediterranean: the first collection by designer Mario Keine.
You studied at the Düsseldorf Design Department with Gabriele Orsech. What role did Düsseldorf as a location play in your studies?
Although I had also been offered a place at the Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp and at the London College of Fashion, I deliberately chose the Design Department in Düsseldorf. The head of the department at the time, Gabriele Orsech, simply convinced me that I would be able to learn the most from her.
You currently live and work in Cologne. What does North Rhine-Westphalia mean to you as a location?
I have the feeling that I am in excellent hands here. You can be in Paris in a few hours and almost as quickly in Berlin, the two cities where I want to increase the visibility of my brand. At the same time, I'm quickly with my family in Sauerland - I have a one-year-old nephew who I want to see as much of as possible. Düsseldorf in particular is experiencing a boom right now. Exciting initiatives like the strike a pose festival, the Live Lab Studio or the Ando Future Studios are revitalising the city. There is a nice sense of togetherness, a network that works well. I appreciate that very much. •
Interview: Ilona Marx
Pictures PR, Mara Rudnick, Michael Mann, Studio Nectar