On November 1, Belgian designer Marina Yee, one of the pioneering members of the Antwerp Six, passed away after a battle with cancer. She was 67.
A Quiet Revolutionary Who Put Belgian Fashion on the Global Map
Born in Antwerp in 1958, Yee studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp, becoming part of a generation that would transform European fashion. Alongside Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, and Walter Van Beirendonck, she challenged the conventions of her time through a design philosophy that fused intellect and emotion.
When the Antwerp Six made their debut at the British Designer Show in London in 1986, it marked a defining moment that propelled Belgian fashion into the global spotlight. Among them, Yee stood out for her quiet radicalism. Her guiding belief was that “beauty lies in reconstruction.” By reworking worn garments and discarded materials, she transformed imperfection into poetry, breathing new life and meaning into the pieces she created.
In the early 1990s, Yee stepped away from the commercial fashion world and expanded her creative practice into theater costume design, interior design, and art. Yet her underlying philosophy remained constant, a commitment to creation rooted in thought, touch, and feeling.
She later became a dedicated educator, teaching at institutions such as KASK in Ghent and The Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague. Her students often referred to her as “a philosopher in the form of a designer,” someone who inspired them to question not only what fashion expresses, but what it means.
A Return with “M.Y. Collection”
Breaking her long silence, Yee returned to fashion in 2016 with her line M.Y. Collection. Combining couture craftsmanship with upcycling, she embodied a vision of sustainability interwoven with poetic sensibility.
After an initial introduction in Japan, the brand was officially relaunched in 2022 and carried by leading international stockists including Dover Street Market New York / Los Angeles, Ssense, and SKP Beijing. In 2024, Yee received the Jury Prize at the Belgian Fashion Awards, cementing her legacy as a designer who remained true to her principles.
The Legacy of a Gentle Revolutionary
Marina Yee’s life was defined not by fame but by integrity. For her, creation was an act of thought and empathy, and fashion was a means of reclaiming human authenticity.
In a statement, MoMu Antwerp praised her as “an extraordinarily authentic voice in Belgian fashion” whose work was “radically honest, poetic, and always rooted in respect for both people and materials.” The museum added, “She taught us that fashion can be more than trends — a means of reflection, care, and connection.”
In 2026, MoMu will host a major exhibition dedicated to the Antwerp Six, where Yee’s work will be featured at the center. Far from a nostalgic look back, it will serve as a living reminder of her enduring message that sustainability is not a trend, but a state of mind.
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