What does it truly take to build an "it-girl" brand in today’s hyper-saturated fashion landscape? For Marina Sinkovskiy, the founder of the Paris-based luxury label Du Ciel, the answer begins with embodying that exact effortless aesthetic yourself. A single glance at Sinkovskiy’s personal Instagram feed makes it immediately apparent that she simply gets it. The Kazakhstan-born designer behind the internet-breaking, ultra-low back swimsuit has cultivated a distinct design philosophy centered on a unique form of sensuality. Her pieces rely on silhouettes and fabrications that might seem unconventional or entirely abstract when sketched out in theory, yet translate into perfection the moment they are worn by someone lounging lazily by the Mediterranean or getting ready for an electric night out in Paris.
Since launching her contemporary swimwear and lingerie brand in 2019, Sinkovskiy has approached design with a singular mission: to deepen and elevate the intimate relationship between the wearer and their own body. She dreams up garments that often feel like pieces you have unknowingly waited your entire life to see, such as her viral desire bra, which is meticulously constructed to mimic the delicate, translucent appearance of sheer hosiery. This distinct creative knack seamlessly extends into Sinkovskiy’s personal wardrobe ethos, which favors an approach that is simultaneously easy, effortless, slightly off-beat, and undeniably high-impact. Observers and industry insiders have been tracking her trajectory as Du Ciel steadily evolves, watching closely from the sidelines. Recently, we caught up with the designer to pull back the curtain and discover exactly what she is keeping tabs on this month.
Where Are You From?
For any creative, geography and heritage often serve as the quiet backdrop to their aesthetic vision. Sinkovskiy’s journey spans vast distances, bridging her early roots with her current creative hub.
Originally hailing from Zaisan, a remote and picturesque town in Kazakhstan, Sinkovskiy has since traded those expansive landscapes for the bustling, style-saturated streets of Paris, France. Operating out of the French capital has allowed her to immerse herself in the heart of the global fashion industry, infusing her Eastern European heritage with the effortless chic of Parisian design culture.
What’s Entertaining You?
Inspiration rarely comes from a vacuum, and for a designer whose work pivots on mood, texture, and narrative, pop culture and literature play a critical role in daily life. When asked about what is currently occupying her screen and her bookshelf, Sinkovskiy points to a mix of cinematic classics and compelling prose.
On the cinematic front, she finds herself revisiting Ridley Scott’s iconic 1991 feminist road-trip masterpiece, Thelma & Louise. The film’s themes of liberation, defiance, and striking visual styling resonate deeply with a designer whose brand champions bold, uncompromised self-expression. When she turns the page, she immerses herself in Madonna in a Fur Coat by Sabahattin Ali, a celebrated novel known for its profound psychological depth and exploration of complex human connection. Meanwhile, the auditory soundtrack to her working days looks a bit more corporate, consisting largely of an endless stream of Google Meet calls as she manages the day-to-day operations of her growing international brand.
What Are You Browsing?
In the digital age, a designer’s browsing history often reveals the secret ingredients behind their mood boards. For Sinkovskiy, the internet is less of a social media scroll and more of a curated treasure hunt.
When she has a spare moment to explore the web, you can almost always find her scouring any online auction website she can unearth. Sinkovskiy admits to being deeply obsessed with little trinkets, oddities, and unique collectibles that carry history and character. Aside from hunting for vintage objects, her digital footprint is anchored by MUBI. She describes the platform as the only streaming service where she can click on a completely random, arthouse film and rest assured that it will be an enriching watch. On the rare occasion she departs from curated cinema, she indulges in a much more casual guilty pleasure: watching court TV.
What’s A Recent Purchase You’re Loving?
Material comforts and tactile pleasures ground the designer when she steps away from her digital devices and sketching pads. Far removed from the high-octane world of runway collections and fashion week schedules, Sinkovskiy’s recent favorite acquisitions lean toward the meditative and the local.
Her latest prized possession is a sprawling, 500-piece jigsaw puzzle featuring Hokusai’s legendary masterpiece, The Great Wave. The intricate, hands-on puzzle offers a quiet reprieve from the demanding pace of running an independent design house. On the culinary front, she has developed an affinity for the simple luxuries found right in her neighborhood, expressing a particular fondness for the rich almond cream from Miyam, her favorite local grocery store nestled in the heart of Paris.
