A Beautiful Mind: Getting to Know Federico Uribe
Federico Uribe, founder and creative director of 209 Mare, has been populating all the “it” places globally with his iconic and timeless designs for nearly a decade. From Monaco to Montauk, Miami to the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, celebrities, magnates, and even royals are seen wearing his signature terry towel Beach Blazers. Today, we sat down with Federico, an avid art and design enthusiast, to discuss his personal interests, design vision, values, and the future of his brand, 209 Mare.
HM: Federico, tell us about your background and love for design. You went to business school and have lived in various cultures. How did that shape your passion for design?
Federico Uribe: My passion for design and aesthetics comes from growing up in a household where art, architecture, and fashion were always a part of our lives. My father built a stunning art collection over the years, mainly of contemporary Latin American artists, but it wasn’t just the art itself — it was the way he arranged and curated it. The way he “dressed” the house with vintage furniture, modern architecture, and mid-century contemporary artists was truly a gift. Later, when I saw an opportunity to dedicate my life to a creative industry like fashion, I took it. Business school gave me the tools to better understand the business side of things. Skills you can always learn, but passion, which you either have or you don’t, is the key to any journey. Having lived across various continents allowed me to appreciate different cultures and understand beauty from different perspectives.
HM: Why did you decide to go into fashion if you studied business?
Federico: The idea behind Gottfried Keller’s book “Clothes Make People” really resonated with me. Clothes can express our character and feelings. If life is a cassette playing a tape, then fashion is the film that adds colour and context. I guess it’s the love for creative work which led me to dive headfirst into this world.
HM: What is it about the terry towel that became such a key part of your brand?
Federico: The idea came to me during lunch in Chile. I saw people coming out of the sea and sitting at a beautiful table, but they were wearing wet t-shirts or sloppy hoodies. I saw someone come out in a hotel bathrobe and I thought, why not make a tailored blazer out of towel fabric? Terry towels get better with time, just like leather. It becomes softer and ages beautifully if correctly treated. Plus, it’s incredibly versatile. You can wear our blazers with jeans, swim shorts, or even for formal occasions. It’s perfect for travel since it serves multiple purposes, reducing the need for packing many items. The texture of the fabric allows it to take in the light in ways other fabrics don’t; it’s similar in this way to velvet I guess, which gives the fabric a beautiful natural movement.
HM: Who is your favourite designer and why?
Federico: I admire Tom Ford, his effortless elegance is something I look up to. He made YSL and Gucci what they are today before launching his own brand. Then he also wrote and directed Academy Award winning films such as “Nocturnal Animals” and “A Single Man”. He is just a brilliant creative mind. Additionally, he studied architecture which gives him a unique perspective on the use of spaces in his campaigns. I also admire Frank Lloyd Wright and Pierre Paulin for their playful arrangement of living spaces. Dressing a house is like dressing yourself.
HM: Do you have a mantra or motto you live by?
Federico: If you think good taste is expensive, try having bad taste.
HM: What makes a 209 Mare blazer so special?
Federico: The attention to detail and the playful attitude we bring to each product. Every button, label, and dust bag is designed by me to ensure the message is consistent. We use a lot of humour in our products which humanizes the brand in a very authentic way.
HM: How do you create a collection?
Federico: Curation is key. I look for themes, shapes, colours, and inspirations that work well together. Then we sketch, make mood boards and play with fabrics to create a narrative.
HM: Are you involved in any other design projects?
Federico: I’m currently redesigning a few houses, consulting on achieving coherent and tasteful spaces through curated furniture, art, and specific design needs. I’m also launching a new, sports-related brand this year with a distinctive aesthetic.
HM: Can you tell us more about the new brand?
Federico: All I can say is that it will be sports-related with a very clear and identifiable aesthetic.
HM: Favourite colour?
Federico: I don’t have a single favourite. Everything is beautiful in its correct place. If I had to choose one, I’d probably say green.
HM: What does the future hold for 209 Mare?
Federico: The future of 209 Mare is about creating timeless and unique pieces through capsule collections. We will maintain our solid base products, like our signature blazers, and collaborate with different artists to create limited editions. The brand has been growing steadily, and while the first five years were challenging, patience and making the right decisions have started to pay off. We’re focused on continuous growth and innovation.
HM: Why did you choose to base 209 Mare in Monaco? What do you like most about it here?
Federico: Initially, it was because my mother was living here, so it was a good place to start. Of course, Monaco offers certain benefits and an interesting demographic for luxury products. It’s a target-rich environment. Also, many of our suppliers are in Milan and Genoa, so everything is quite close. But the real connection to Monaco is deeper. The brand is inspired by the golden era of the French Riviera in the 70s, when icons like Brigitte Bardot and Steve McQueen were here. They had this effortless elegance. Back then, fashion wasn’t forced — it was natural. They could make smoking a cigarette on the back of a Vespa look cool and elegant, something you don’t see today. This era was driven by amazing design and culture, with influential figures like Warhol, Lichtenstein, and Rothko shaping the scene. That effortless elegance and enjoyment of life without a care is what I wanted to capture with 209 Mare. That’s the true connection to Monaco for me.
Discover more at www.209Mare.com
