Show Report
The sharp collection was accomplished with strong masculine outerwear taking precedence.
The team at Maison Martin Margiela took the audience backstage for their new season and first runway presentation. Rows of rails and Margiela assistants, dressed in white lab coats, groomed models in turn, before they were sent out to the hidden runway. Margiela menswear has usually chosen the format of a static presentation to present its collection, and the change in format suggests the new mainstream and global approach for the Margiela brand. Military inspired outerwear constructed from army blankets set the theme for the collection which played with the mixture of formal and casual and rough and smooth. Cashmere suits were contrasted with rough knits and an army green felted wool hunting jacket became a two tone safari jacket. The collection focused on the concept of industrialized Artisanal - the idea of reworking garments into new forms. The sharp collection was accomplished with strong masculine outerwear taking precedence. What was lacking was the Margiela magic and the slightly subversive approach that defined the original Margiela collections. This collection and presentation was slick and conventional and was presented on handsome models, perhaps a cue in making the brand more accessible to a wider market. This new direction for Maison Margiela is a sign of the current commercial awareness, and in a competitive market place is a safe option.
