MARTIAN X TIME

Martian Agency: The French Rising Star On Hollywood's Radar

Photo credit: François Ravé

From creative studio to costume workshop, Martian Agency combines a range of expertise and technologies to design innovative, custom-made costumes. Their craftsmanship has already attracted some of the biggest brands and productions in France and internationally.

The Art of Meticulous Craftsmanship

Combining the creation of custom-made futuristic costumes with artistic direction, Martian Agency has established itself in just a few years as a distinctive player in the French entertainment industry. Costume design is an art form in its own right. A meticulous craft that requires hours of thought, preparation and, ultimately, production.

Officially founded in 2023 by Marine Arnoul and James Whittall, the agency builds on more than a decade of shared creative experimentation. “We have expertise in a niche that requires an extensive range of different skills,” explains Marine, who oversees creative direction while coordinating the studio and costume workshop. James, meanwhile, leads the technical aspects of 3D modelling, using manufacturing processes developed by the agency and incorporating new and innovative materials.

Their complementary skills have enabled Marine and James to establish a unique company that reflects their ambitions, where their creative visions come to life alongside a talented team with diverse areas of expertise.

Before Martian Agency, both founders worked in the video game industry, Marine at Ubisoft and James at Blizzard. An experience that profoundly shaped their artistic approach, which Marine describes as “a world of limitless exploration.” The agency seeks to make this virtual world tangible, bringing it into dialogue with reality to give life to ambitious ideas. It was through their first collaboration on Mask Singer in 2023, a show broadcast on TF1 whose success is largely driven by the quality and originality of its costumes, that they recognised the potential of their approach within the entertainment industry.

Creating an Entire Universe

Since then, Martian Agency has developed numerous prestigious collaborations. The agency designed all the costumes for TF1's Gladiators, before being approached by MGM Studios, Amazon Prime's production company, to consult on costume design and on-set management for the American version of the show.

Netflix, Decathlon, Universal, Sony Music, Gentlemates (the esports team founded by Squeezie, France's leading YouTuber), as well as comedian Artus, singer Zara Larsson and artist Rilès are also among their clients. Marine and her team even accompany the latter on his national and international tour, creating stage costumes that combine integrated lighting, 3D printing, haute couture-level finishes and innovative design, showcasing the full extent of their expertise.

This diverse clientele reflects the studio itself, which, as its name suggests, draws heavily on science fiction and pop culture to imagine its creations. Star Wars, the films of Christopher Nolan and Blade Runner fuel the two designers' visual imagination, alongside manga, video games and superheroes.

This visual culture translates into creations conceived as fully fledged characters. “If we're asked to create a superhero costume, we'll develop an entire story around it,” Marine explains. At Martian Agency, a costume is more than just a garment: it becomes a storytelling tool, an extension of an individual's artistic identity or the universe of a film or television production.

From Costume Creation to Filming

Beyond the creation of custom-made costumes, Martian Agency stands out for its comprehensive approach, designed to function as an extension of production teams.

Indeed, every project begins by listening to the client's needs and immersing themselves in their identity, before imagining a costume that meets their expectations without ever compromising the agency's avant-garde and futuristic style. “Our clients come to us for our distinctive aesthetic,” Marine says.

The agency's success also relies on its flexibility and responsiveness, made possible by its studio and workshop located just outside Paris. Combining traditional sewing techniques, 3D printing technologies and innovative materials, this creative space allows the team to design and produce bespoke pieces, while also offering clients access to Martian Agency's exclusive collections.

The agency thus becomes a true right-hand partner to a project's artistic direction, providing comprehensive on-set support for photoshoots and filming, coordinating styling, dressing, look management and technical requirements. This close relationship with production teams enables the creative studio to offer solutions tailored to both artistic needs and the practical realities of production.

Building on this distinctive positioning, the agency is now setting its sights internationally, with the ambition of establishing a stronger presence in the American film and entertainment industry.

Martian Agency is also developing specialist expertise in the creation of astronaut suits for film and television, an exceptional product that represents a genuine challenge in high-precision technical craftsmanship.

Bringing together technological innovation, artisanal craftsmanship and futuristic aesthetics, the French studio aims to continue its rise in the entertainment industry while remaining true to its unique identity.