The upcycling street style French label Andrea Crews was founded by designer and art director Marouissia Rebecq, who gathered a group of artists who supported her desire to revolutionise fashion codes. With the motto ‘Fashion, Art, Activism’, Andrea Crews’ team highlights art and experimentation through its second-hand well-structured garments and numerous collaborations. Actually, Andrea Crews is not only a fashion house but also a creative direction agency and the founder of a project space organising exhibitions in a friendly atmosphere in Paris, called Le Coeur. After knowing all the projects she’s been involved in, we couldn’t help but discover who Maroussia is and why is everyone willing to follow her.
Could you please tell us about Andrea Crews? Who are you?
Andrea Crews began as a group of artists in early 2000. She was born in art centres during an activist vintage clothes upcycling performance, which united numerous artists, fashion designers, muses and photographers. They were all creating together an arty and experimental world bringing about a revolution mainstream fashion codes.
Today, Andrea Crews has become a real streetwear label that has been walking at official Paris Fashion Week Homme since 2013. I often say it’s season two: there was the first season, which is done; and now, we are within season two. The story is the same but characters and issues have evolved.
Today, Andrea Crews has become a real streetwear label that has been walking at official Paris Fashion Week Homme since 2013. I often say it’s season two: there was the first season, which is done; and now, we are within season two. The story is the same but characters and issues have evolved.
What was your main objective when you launched/created Andrea Crews?
I wanted to revolutionise fashion codes! Andrea Crews was like a creative and a free space in motion – a magnet for artists.
Why did you choose fashion?
The garment is a medium everyone knows. Everybody gets dressed in the morning. It’s a powerful communication tool that reaches the whole world on a daily basis.
Where does the idea of combining vintage clothes with streetwear fashion come from?
Ideas come from everyday life. When I was a student, I often bought my clothes in thrift stores, and I developed an experimental punk street style. And during my fourth year studying Fine Arts, I decided to launch my own upcycled clothing firm instead of doing an internship.
‘Fashion, Art, Activism’: Could you explain us what message is hidden behind your motto?
Andrea Crews’ lifestyle is a merge of these three notions. The way we dress and the way we represent ourselves is a strong message that we are supporting and communicating to the world. We are our lives’ actors. The idea behind ‘Fashion, Art, Activism’ was to revolutionise the existing mainstream codes by using art and experimentation.
How would you describe the evolution of the label since its launch?
Andrea Crews is a constantly evolving, wise and dynamic independent person that feeds on work and collaborations.
Let’s get to the present now. Tell us about your Fall/Winter 2017 collection.
It’s all about a super cool guy who fell down a spatiotemporal hole and found himself in an isolated Tyrol village while he was snowboarding, who has now been brought back to nature. Because he learns to watch flowers grow under the snow over there, he’s not the same when he comes back in town.
In addition to your own collections, collaborations with other brands are an essential part of Andrea Crews’ DNA. How do these collaborations come up? What does a brand need to have to become a partner of yours?
Every collaboration is unique and gets its specific ways and means. Each part needs to see their interest in every collaboration. We do love immersing ourselves in other brands’ universes and conceive typical brand items with our signature.
What can we expect from your upcoming Spring/Summer collection?
Freshness, a lot of new collaborations and more upcycling.
Andrea Crews Studio is not only a fashion label but also a creative agency that shares its art direction and communication skills. Indeed, you have big brands as clients such as Nike, Uniqlo, Lacoste or Eastpak to name a few. What’s its role?
Besides our designer stuff, we offer creative direction to other brands – that we develop in our collaborations. As I said overhead, it’s always very inspiring to immerse ourselves in someone’s universe and to be able to provide them with creative solutions.
Is your creative agency collaborating with new projects that you would like to tell us right now?
The brand New New has just been purchased and we are preparing a collaboration with its team. But that’s not it, you’ll need to come and see!
Also, Andrea Crews is constantly collaborating with Séverine Redon on a project space – Le Coeur, in downtown Paris – where fashion, art and design are highlighted through various innovative exhibitions. Tell us more about this project and the purpose behind it. How do you select the artists displayed?
You don’t need to send us your portfolio because we set or program exhibitions as ideas and encounters come up. You have to understand the location, the process and the DNA by coming to see exhibitions, exchange your ideas, and set projects on common issues up. A true connection between artists and us is needed.
Besides exhibitions, Le Coeur offers to its clients several events aiming at meeting new people through yoga classes and women dinners, for example. What atmosphere do you want to share with people by creating such events?
Exhibitions are just like life projects and experiences where interactions are essential. We are not that kind of people who pin art against walls and let it gather dust.
