MARTIN MARGIELA

MAISON MARGIELA, FORMERLY MAISON MARTIN MARGIELA, WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1988 BY THE BELGIAN DESIGNER MARTIN MARGIELA AND HIS BUSINESS PARTNER JENNY MEIRENS IN PARIS. PRIOR TO THAT, MARGIELA STUDIED AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ANTWERP, WITH CLOSE LINKS TO THE GROUP ANTWERP SIX, WHO WERE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CULTURE AND FAME OF BELGIAN FASHION. FROM 1984 TO 1987, BEFORE LAUNCHING HIS LABEL, MARGIELA WAS THE ASSISTANT OF JEAN-PAUL GAUTIER. WITH HIS DECONSTRUCTIVE STYLE, MARGIELA REVOLUTIONISED THE CLICHÉS OF LUXURY FASHION AND IS NOW SEEN AS THE PIONEER OF THE ANTI-FASHION MOVEMENT, INSPIRING MANY ARTISTS AND DESIGNERS. EARLY ON IN HIS CAREER, MARTIN MARGIELA CHOOSE TO REMAIN ANONYMOUS TO PRESERVE HIS PRIVATE LIFE AND WAS, THEREFORE, CALLED "THE INVISIBLE MAN OF FASHION"

MARGIELA’S DESIRE TO FOCUS ON THE BEAUTY OF CLOTHES WAS EXPRESSED THROUGH HIS NUMEROUS FASHION SHOWS WITH FACELESS MODELS AND THE ORIGINALLY BLANK REMOVABLE LABEL THANKS TO THE FOUR STITCHES. THOSE FOUR STITCHES, LATER ON, BECAME THE HOUSE’S TRADEMARK AND MADE MAISON MARGIELA’S CLOTHES NOTICEABLE AND UNIQUE, A DETAIL FASHION INSIDERS RECOGNISE. THE NUMBERS FROM 0 TO 23 AFFIXED ON THE TAG IDENTIFIED A PIECE AS BELONGING TO VARIOUS LINES OF THE BRAND. THE MANY MEMORABLE COLLECTIONS EXPRESSED THE UNCONVENTIONAL STYLE OF THE BRAND. IN 1994, AN ENTIRE COLLECTION WAS BASED ON A DOLLS’ WARDROBE ADAPTED IN FULL SIZE, WHILST IN 1997, A COLLECTION WHERE THE MODELS ADORNED STOCKMAN INSPIRED BUSTIERS WAS THE RESULT OF MARGIELA’S FABRIC DRAPING STUDIES. 

20 YEARS AFTER THE BRAND'S CREATION, IN 2009, MARGIELA RESIGNED WITHOUT APPOINTING ANOTHER CREATIVE DIRECTOR. IT WAS ONLY IN 2014 THAT JOHN GALLIANO, PREVIOUSLY A DESIGNER AT DIOR, WAS GIVEN THE POSITION OF CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF MAISON MARGIELA. GALLIANO STRIVED TO RENEW THE BRAND WHILE MAINTAINING MARGIELA’S HERITAGE, REINTERPRETING ICONIC ITEMS SUCH AS THE TABI BOOTS AND RELAUNCHING THE ARTISANAL COLLECTION IN 2019.