Designer Marina Yee of the ‘Antwerp Six’ Has Died

Marina Yee, the Belgian designer who was part of the “Antwerp Six,” the group of students from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts who redefined Belgian fashion in the 1980s, died on Saturday at the age of 67, according to MoMu Fashion Museum Antwerp.

Following her studies, during which time she met the other members of the “Six,” including Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Dries Van Noten, Dirk Van Saene and Dirk Bikkembergs — all known for their avant-garde designs — Yee cut her teeth at Belgian labels including Gruno & Chardin and Bassetti. She then built her own label, Marie, between 1986 and 1990.

Yee, who was described by Vogue as the most “elusive” member of the “Antwerp Six,” then withdrew from the fashion scene for several years and taught at arts schools including Saint-Luc in Tournai, Belgium, the Royal Academy of Fine Arts (KASK) in Ghent, Belgium and the Royal Academy of Art (KABK) in The Hague, Netherlands.

She eventually returned to the industry in 2018 with a collection of five designs under the label M.Y. Collection, which were introduced at Laila, a vintage boutique in Tokyo. Yee then officially launched the line, rooted in upcycling, in 2022 through a series of global retail partnerships with the likes of Dover Street Market.

In 2022, Yee participated in a rare group interview alongside four other members of the “Antwerp Six,” answering questions from current students at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. When asked about her definition of beauty, she said, “Beauty is not just finding something beautiful, nice, tasty or exciting. To me, it is about consciously experiencing something that feels good and loving … It is to watch and really see, to live and feel intensely.”

Learn more:

In Rare Reunion, ‘Antwerp Six’ Answer Students’ Questions

Five members of the ‘Antwerp Six’ — Walter Van Beirendonck, Dries Van Noten, Ann Demeulemeester, Dirk Van Saene and Marina Yee — discuss the pressures of being a designer, how the industry has changed and staying true to yourself, courtesy of Knack Weekend.