Our Story

Behind the Label

Hi, I’m Yue, the founder of  Má + Lin[ma-lain]. 

Má + Lin is where Chinese and French cultures meet to celebrate Linen, the world's most ancient and sustainable fabric. Our brand name is a playful nod to our linen obsession, with "Má(麻)” and “Lin” both meaning linen in Chinese & French, plus a fun wordplay “Malin" meaning clever in French.

Má + Lin was born in London in 2021 during the Covid-19 pandemic. A time when normal life was put on hold, giving me time to think and re-think.

The world has never shouted so loudly against excess consumption and unnecessary waste, and it has never yearned more passionately for a slower pace, slower fashion and a zero waste lifestyle. Created with the essence of slow fashion and sustainability, we endeavours to play a part in this revolution.

About me

I was born and raised in Chongqing - a charming city in China. I have worked as a fashion buyer in Paris then in London for the past 10 years.

While continuing my experience at JW Anderson, the idea emerged of creating a brand that was zero waste, fully transparent regarding the supply chain, used only European linen and at the same time represented the aesthetics of my ideal wardrobe for contemporary women.

In my previous jobs, we often overbought raw materials which ended up in shredding stations because they were ‘past-season’. It’s heartbreaking...

Besides, there is no supply chain transparency. We can barely know where the fabric was produced and can never trace it back to the yarn mill, let alone the farm where the raw materials were cultivated...

After witnessing so many highly negative environmental impacts in the fashion industry, I know I must do something.

Sustainable linen clothing

Our Aesthetics

We are on a mission to make linen the new black, starting with our French-inspired blouses.

We choose not to follow the traditional fashion seasons as we are acutely aware of the impact that each collection’s development and production has on the environment. 

Ethically crafted in Portugal using 100% certified European linen, every piece we design is made to last.

Bonus -- All our linen beauties are made in limited edition so each one of them is a special treat.

Our Ethos

We are completely transparent about our supply chain as we believe every customer has the right to know where the raw materials come from and who made their clothes.