Visual storyteller
“Travel through Marcel’s worlds of wonder”
Marcel Van Doorn is a visual storyteller specializing in fashion and luxury brands, challenging perception and stylistic norms. He creates joyful aesthetics, transforming objects into alternate narratives with a playful and vibrant approach. Inspired by nature and travel, he reshapes and untangles the stories of objects through visual innovation. His work focuses on bespoke products and installations, emphasizing innovative techniques, local production, sustainability, and minority representation. He draws from childhood memories of beauty and wonder, and today, influenced by Swahili culture through his Kinooni home on the island of Lamu, Kenya, his creations aim to add to the world’s beauty by reimagining and redefining design.
Product design
Marcel van Doorn creates timeless, durable designs with a lasting impact, rooted in his luxury brand experience. He values playfulness, color experimentation, and collaborations throughout his creative process. His vision supports local production, blending sustainability with traditional craftsmanship. By using recycled materials and innovative techniques, he creates impeccable, meaningful designs. He promotes inclusivity by involving minority groups and exchanging techniques. Through sustainability and craftsmanship, his work adds depth and purpose to design.
Installations
Marcel van Doorn creates playful, immersive installations that blend storytelling, luxury, and craftsmanship. His work sparks curiosity through optical illusions, 2D-3D interplay, and unexpected juxtapositions. Drawing from childhood memories and personal experiences, he transforms concepts into refined, multisensory experiences. Mixing technology with elegance, he crafts dreamlike worlds that inspire joy and wonder. Fashion, applied arts, and research shape his sophisticated yet whimsical creations. Van Doorn pushes boundaries, making beauty a matter of perception and imagination.
Set Design
Marcel van Doorn discovered the visual storytelling language through View on Color magazine. Starting as a stylist, he was drawn to the environment around the model—walls, furniture, and props—before realizing his true calling as a set designer. Over the years, he worked with top magazines like Vogue Italia, Harper’s Bazaar, and Numero. He was the longtime set designer for Ellen von Unwerth in Paris, creating iconic shoots. His work spans editorials and campaigns, including Hermès’ Barenia perfume. From still life to fashion, big sets to miniatures, he thrives on challenges, bringing the unexpected angles of his fantasy world to the set.