CREATOR & OWNER

Early 2010, together with fashion designer Sissi Holleis, Martena founded Europe’s first Couture Café ‘SWEAT SHOP’. The creative concept in the heart of Paris, France, became an overnight international sensation with its urgent mission to help bring sewing and DIY back to the people and attracted regulars (kids and adults alike) as well as tourists. Sweat Shop has been collaborating with brands, designers and institutions such Sonja Rykiel, Selfridges, Swatch, Michael Verheyden, Centre Pompidou and many more.

‘Sweat Shop, a tiny new cafe near a trendy stretch of Paris, had barely opened its doors last week when it faced its first fashion emergency.’ —THE NEW YORK TIMES

‘Three weeks in, and business is already gathering steam. The clientele is mixed, with fashion students and vintage shoppers rubbing shoulders with with children and older women who enjoy the conversation as much as the craft.’ —THE GUARDIAN

‘Sweat Shop is a fun communal space where work equals wardrobe.’ —HIPPARIS.COM

‘Martena Duss is een vrouw met een missie.’ —ELLE BELGIUM

‘Sweat Shop is a café couture and embodies everthing a creative atelier should be.’ —NYLON MAGAZIN

‘Inauguré mid-mars, le Sweat Shop est deja un success.’ —LE MONDE

‘Paris hat jetzt einen Hotspot für Hobbyschneiderinnen und alle, die es werden wollen. —GLAMOUR

‘Der neue Do-it-yourself-Treffpunkt im hippen quartier du Canal St.Martin.’ —ANNABELLE

‘..it should make for even better-accessorized street stylers by the time next Paris fashion week rolls around.’ —STYLE.COM

SWEAT SHOP

SELFRIDGES

In 2011, Sweat Shop Paris was invited by Selfridges, London’s most famous department store, to set up shop on the Women’s Designerwear floor. The universe of Sweat Shop was entirely re-built by its own team and for two weeks, Sweat Shop gave regulars workshops and exlusive masterclasses in collaboration with designers such as Markus Lupfer, Oliver Sweeney, Sonja Rykiel and Jean Pierre Braganza. For a month, the clic clac of high-heeled shoppers was accompanied by the dynamic whirring of Sweat Shop’s battery of sewing machines.

SWEAT SHOP

- THE BOOK

AUTHOR & CREATIVE DIRECTION

The success of Sweat Shop was followed by the release of its own book Sweat Shop – The Book. As the creative director, Martena worked with her own team of graphic designers, photographers, illustrators and editors.

Sweat Shop- The Book was published in 2012 in Britain, the US and Australia by Ivy Press.