Glam Slam: Marc Bouwer

Marc Bouwer has built his fashion legacy on glamour, sculpting couture eveningwear that has become a red-carpet staple. Known for his expertise in cut and draping, he seamlessly fuses sophisticated silhouettes with stretch fabrics to create a signature look he refers to as "athletic glamour.” But beyond the high-voltage allure, his designs embody a timeless elegance that has made him one of the few independent designers sought after by Hollywood’s A-list.

Bouwer moved from his native South Africa to New York and honed his craft under the legendary American designer Halston, refining his design and draping skills. In 1990, he launched Marc Bouwer Couture with business partner Paul Margolin, quickly earning recognition in top fashion publications like Harper's Bazaar, Glamour, Vanity Fair, and InStyle.

While in Denver earlier this month for the Children’s Diabetes Foundation Brass Ring Luncheon hosted by the Children’s Diabetes Foundation (CDF) and The Guild of CDF, Bouwer took a moment to sit down with me, sharing his insights on championing causes close to his heart, navigating the Hollywood landscape, and what it takes for independent designers to break through in the fashion industry. *

GAB: This is your second time doing the show for the Children's Diabetes Foundation, correct?

MB: Yes, my second time doing it. We did it eight years ago.

GAB: What makes this partnership especially meaningful to you?

MB: Paul, my partner, is a diabetic. We were very young when we first met. We dated for a while and eventually lived together. He got sick all of a sudden, and we didn't know what it was; he lost a lot of weight, and he became very sick. We took him to a doctor, and the doctor said he had blood sugar levels that were skyrocketing. Paul could have gone into a coma and died. We didn't know it was juvenile diabetes, because he was in his twenties when he got it. He was so despondent about all of this.

What many people don’t realize is that diabetes is a science. It's not, “Here's a pill – take it.” You have to measure your blood and figure out how much insulin you need or go and eat something. And then it's not just eating candy or chips or drinking a juice; it's all about figuring out what you need. It's very scientific. They've made it easier now with pumps and insulin that's measured in an injectable, that little pen thing.

But back to Paul; he really was very despondent. So, I read a lot about diabetes, like self-help books. As a non-diabetic person, I learned so much about it and knew how difficult this disease is to manage. Ever since Paul got it twenty-something years ago, we’ve been hearing that there's a cure on the horizon, but there still is no cure for juvenile diabetes. And this is why we're here today because we’re on a quest for a cure.

GAB: I think it is special to have a very personal connection to the foundation.

MB: I've done many fashion shows throughout my career, and we've stopped doing these big shows because they're a pain in the neck. They cost a lot of money to do properly. And as you reach a higher rung on the designer ladder, you have to use the best models, and you have to show in a decent place and have really good lighting – it’s hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars. I'd rather put that money into making these little fashion films, which I've been doing for several years now. But the Children’s Diabetes Foundation is something that is close to my heart because of Paul.

GAB: I’ve also read about your commitment to animals.

MB: And the other reason I would do a fashion show is for animals because I'm a huge animal rights person. I've been given awards by PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and the Humane Society. All my animals are rescues. I love animals. I'm vegan. You know, even milk and cheese are [made in an] absolutely hideously cruel way. If you knew what cows go through, you just wouldn't want to drink real milk. We're the only species on this planet that drinks another species' milk.

GAB: I want to switch gears and talk about you being an independent designer; what is it like working today?

“It is very difficult to be an independent designer because, financially, you're dependent only on the money that you make from what you do.”

MB: Well, there are two ways to answer that question. It is very difficult to be an independent designer because, financially, you're dependent only on the money that you make from what you do. Unless you're bought by one of those big houses, like LVMH or the Gucci Group; they have billion-dollar budgets for fashion shows and clothes that are hardly ever produced [because] it's all about an image that's created to keep [the brand] relevant.

But as an independent designer, we use social media and the red carpet to stay relevant. I have a very strong, long presence on the red carpet, and that has kept me relevant. I mean, we have stayed in business since we started. We have never filed for bankruptcy; we got close to it, and we've had some difficult times, which we still go through every once in a while. So, perhaps if I had gone out of business and been available for a house to set me up, I would have [gone that route], but I was so absorbed doing my own thing and building my own brand that never really occurred to me.

GAB: Have you ever wanted to work for a big fashion house?

MB: I always wanted to do my own thing. But as I've grown older, I see very relevant designers who have had their own business – and they either don't have it any longer or they still do – who have gone to bigger houses and worked for them. I would love that opportunity; it just blows my mind to think what I could do with that kind of craftsmanship, that kind of money, those studios – the kind of things I could create.

I feel the world hasn't really seen exactly how good I can be because I don't have that. But we are the little engine that could, and we do a lot of things ourselves. I do a lot of the beading, draping, cutting, pattern making, the shopping, and fitting myself. I'm very hands on. I know what to do and how to do it.

GAB: That's interesting to me because there are a lot of creative directors in fashion who can't actually make a dress.

“I know exactly how everything is made, how all the linings are put in, how the patterns are made, what fabrics are capable of. That's enabled me to be a better designer.”

MB: I wish I could be in that position. I know exactly how everything is made, how all the linings are put in, how the patterns are made, what fabrics are capable of. That's enabled me to be a better designer. If somebody says, “no, we can't do that,” I'll figure out a way in my head to do it, but at a lower cost or find a way around it that will look equally wonderful when it's presented to the world.

I love the creative process, because I'm so hands on. Making clothes is like sculpture to me, and it's very cathartic. And you get a sense of achievement once you finish something, as long as you like it because sometimes it's a struggle to make something that you personally like, even though you put a lot of work into it. But it's that sense of achievement of creating something beautiful that you love and finished, and you did it or the few people around you helped you do it, that is tremendously rewarding to me. And then, seeing it come down the runway on the right model is great. That's why I became a designer.

GAB: But you don't show at New York Fashion Week any longer, correct?

MB: Well, I did for years. In fact, for over twenty-five years. I just really got over it. You know, it's, number one, the cost.

GAB: I don't think people realize just how expensive it is to show at fashion week.

MB: It's astronomical. And as I said, as you move up the ladder, it gets more and more expensive. We always called in favors, but you want everybody to be paid for the work that they do, so I got tired of that. And it's also a roller coaster ride for a month; the stress, the nervous energy, it just really took it out of me. And then, all that work and it's over in ten minutes. And then because your show is squashed into fashion week, you were lucky if you got a picture in the newspaper or magazines for all that money.

So, we decided we'd use social media. We put it on Facebook, Instagram and now there are many other platforms, like TikTok. We use all of that. And we get our message out there during fashion week, but we're continuously using social media.

GAB: When you are designing, do you think about being on trend, or are you just focused on your aesthetic and your client or ideal client?

MB: I find that usually I'm right on trend because I'm so absorbed by the world of fashion. I look at everything – all the major designers and some independent designers – whatever's put in front of me. I love Pinterest. I look at all the collections on YouTube. So, I'm totally absorbed by it, though you never want to copy anything. But if bows are a big deal, I’m going to show some bows.

GAB: So how do you approach the design process? Do you like to look at other cultural outlets for inspiration or do you work thematically?

MB: Well, inspiration comes from everywhere. Like I said, I look at everything, but I also love movies. I love to listen to music when I create. I'll just see things on the street-maybe some girl or guy will put something together and I'll think [if I could] do that in a more finessed way, it could be really great. So, inspiration comes from everywhere.

GAB: Are there any new materials, techniques, or technologies, especially ones that promote responsible production, that you are excited to experiment with or work with?

MB: I like to stay ahead of technology and keep up with what's going on, particularly with fabrication. Fabrication has really progressed by leaps and bounds – it's just incredible. So that has given designers different kinds of material to work with – ones with a tremendous amount of stretch or machine beading that looks like hand beading. Fabrics that are not animal but are vegan leather or vegan suede that have stretch or neoprene added on the back to give us all kinds of new ways to explore fabric and create shapes and proportions that are new and exciting.

GAB: With some of the new vegan leathers, are you worried whether any of them are made from petroleum products?

MB: Well, all that is worrying to me, but as long as animals are not slaughtered, for right now, until we find better fabrics, then I'm on that train. But, yes, fast fashion is a big worry for me, and I think for a lot of designers.

Do you know about the Atacama Desert in Chile? It's a very barren place. I'm sure there are creatures that live there and thrive in that environment. But big companies like Shein – they are probably the worst ones – TEMU, H&M, Zara, which all make some great stuff, but they make it so quickly, and there's so much of it. So, what do you do with it? Where do you dump it? A lot of those companies have made a deal with Chile to dump that stuff in the Atacama Desert. There are hundreds of miles [of clothing], and if you look from a satellite or from a drone or helicopter, it's just covered in clothes. And that's just the Atacama Desert; then there are all the places in Africa that are like that as well.

And then you have the ocean (that has) plastic, fabrics, clothes… all junk (being dumped in it). So, it's all very, very worrying.

GAB: I know. I stand by what Vivienne Westwood used to say, “Buy better, buy less.”

MB: And it's hard to because people love fashion. They see something that looks exciting to them, and they want to experience that on their body. It's a second skin that we put on, and we send out a message, whether it's, “Look at me, look at me,” or “I want to shrink into a corner,” or “I'm just well dressed.” We send messages with clothing, and, you know, we like to change those messages.

So, when things are beautiful, like at Zara, where they are very much on trend, nicely made, look pretty and are affordable, you fall into that buying trap. And then the girls that like Shien, who are spending four dollars on a dress and then getting boxes delivered to the house for spending a hundred dollars or whatever. It's just insane.

GAB: I think that is insane too. OK, so we know what’s not working in the industry, but is there anything going on in fashion right now that you find exciting?

MB: I like that designers are taking clothes from thrift stores or outlets and reconstructing them, like by sewing a blazer and a skirt together to make a new shape. That kind of thing is fun. I don't know how long that sort of trend will last or how many people that are not 14 or 15 years old would like to wear those kinds of clothes, but it is fun.

GAB: Is there any advice that you would give to designers who are either just starting out or are independent and want to make a positive impact on the industry?

“I think in order to be a successful designer, you really need to know how to sew. You need to know how clothes are made, and you need to know about fabrics, the possibilities of what you can get from fabrics.”

MB: I think in order to be a successful designer, you really need to know how to sew. You need to know how clothes are made, and you need to know about fabrics and the possibilities of what you can get from fabrics. You know, pattern making is the sort of the science of fashion design, but draping is very hands-on; it's very artistic, and you can create it with your hands. You don't have to rely on numbers to figure out patterns. So, I think, definitely learn to drape.

And then when you're starting out, get your first collection photographed – beautiful photographs that represent you well. Show them to as many people as you can. Call in favors and make friends with models, makeup artists, photographers, and hairstylists who will do favors for you and just keep working with them. And keep doing shoots even if they're not going to be put in a magazine or on the web; just keep on doing that stuff, and eventually somebody will see [your work], and you'll meet the right person.

GAB: I think that’s great advice. Fashion is a hard industry to find success in.

MB: Unfortunately, it's not the most talented people that make it in this industry. I mean, there are a lot of talented people, of course, but it's who you know and who wants to do things for their friends. The way that I have climbed up the ladder is by meeting people who like what I do and want to do things for me. I mean, they like me as a person. There are some people who don't like me as a person and will not work with me – maybe I said something once that they didn't approve of. You're up against all of that. So, be nice to as many people as you can on the way up and then stay nice.

GAB: It's good not to burn your bridges in this business.

MB: Yeah. And you do, unfortunately, especially when you are lending clothes to celebrities. Most celebrities don't pay for anything. I mean, some celebrities do. Like, I did nine music videos with Shania Twain, and she always paid. But the stylists do not pay for anything. And they don't pay for the shipping, and shipping costs are astronomical. Everybody wants things on a rack, so when the star comes in, even though they've zeroed in on one thing already, the rack's full of beautiful dresses.

Like, for example, the Oscars for this season, you don't know how many things were sent out for famous people. And a lot of times, the minute those stars were nominated, deals were made through their agents, or they already had a deal with a brand. But it's very hard for an independent designer to get those stars to wear their clothes at the Oscars.

I know when Angelina [Jolie] wore my dress, she and her stylist saw the pictures on the web after the runway show, and they called us and said she's interested in these two dresses for the Oscars. Can we get them? And that's very unusual. But Angelina is very different. Working with her is just such a great experience because she's not surrounded by tons of people.

GAB: That's what I've heard.

MB: When you do the fitting with her, it's basically her, a good friend, the stylist, and maybe a bodyguard if there's expensive jewelry, but that's it.

GAB: It's interesting because everyone thinks the star-designer relationship is like the Audrey Hepburn-Givenchy connection. And it feels like there's so little of that because there are so many middlemen.

MB: Well, stylists got involved.

GAB: That's true.

MB: I'm very friendly with a lot of really good stylists, but I prefer working one-on-one. My best work has been one-on-one with people. But what was great about working with Angelina was the dresses that were taken from my collection; she wore them exactly the way that I presented them.

Like those Schiaparelli pieces on Ariana Grande. I know there were slight alterations, but they were pretty much exactly the way they were on the runway, especially the lampshade jellyfish one. It was exactly as it was on the runway, except miniaturized down because Ariana Grande is five foot one [inches] or whatever. Cynthia Erivo is even shorter.

GAB: Oh, really?

MB: Tiny, tiny. And to wear that volume, I mean, it's kind of insane that they pulled it off. It looked great. But I love the Ariana Grande piece because it was exactly as Daniel Roseberry showed it, and I respect him. He's fantastic.

GAB: He is.

MB: And one of the few that are really changing the way we look at fashion.

GAB: I would agree with you.

MB: And it's very respectful when a star wears the clothes as the designer presented them on the runway because that is true to his or her art.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.*

All images courtesy of Marc Bouwer.