The Mystery of Maison Martin Margiela
Maison Martin Margiela (or as we now know it, Maison Margiela) is a brand that - despite its 20-year-strong history - still remains one of the most enigmatic in the fashion industry. The revered Parisian brand is shrouded in mystery and anonymity - the numbers, the white coats, the faceless founder - what does it all mean? We explain the story behind some of the traits of the mythical maison.
THE COLOUR WHITE
Margiela's use of the colour white is so often referenced in discussion about the brand it's almost begun to become fabled. The white lab coats worn by the atelier's staff, (even adopted by the usually-flamboyant Galliano upon taking his first bow as creative director), the striking white-draped interiors of the stores and headquarters, the white-painted Converse collaboration - it's evidently important, but why?
THE REVERED PARISIAN BRAND IS SHROUDED IN MYSTERY AND ANONYMITY - THE NUMBERS, THE WHITE COATS, THE FACELESS FOUNDER - WHAT DOES IT ALL MEAN?
Well, it's meant to be an expression of the maison's ethos, in the brand's own words, 'a symbol of unity and purity'. Often we hear this sort of thing from brands, conceptual waffle that means very little in practice - but Margiela are different - their symbolic adoption of the colour plays out in real life.
The brand considers itself 'one voice with many bodies'. That is, every employee, no matter how junior or senior, working towards a unified and distinctive vision. The sense of hierarchy usually inherent within a fashion house is stripped away by the uniformity of their white coats, their universally white surroundings - leaving more room for cohesive creativity. Working as a definitive entity enables a strength of vision that is surely the reason for the brand's longevity and enduring popularity.
Chanel, Gucci, Fendi, Calvin Klein. What do all of these brands have in common? Their iconic logos incorporate the initials of their founders, inciting an envious flash of recognition when a passer-by studies your bag for more than a second.
Margiela's label has become almost as iconic for a completely different reason. The four white stitches provide a sense of anonymity that aligns the clothing with the wearer rather than the designer, re-enforcing the idea of the maison as just that - a maison, not a person.
The brand has never depended on a single figure for its success - its continued prominence in the period between Martin Margiela's departure in 2008 and Galliano's appointment in 2015 is clear evidence of that. And if Galliano's lab-coat clad appearance is anything to go by, it's apparent that those values won't be changing anytime soon.
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ARTISANAL
The Artisanal collection has defined Maison Margiela since the house was founded in 1988, and has fostered its reputation for deconstructionist design principles. Vintage pieces are mixed with newer garments, and re-casted by hand in Margiela's Parisian atelier. Each piece is totally unique and produced in extremely limited numbers.
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The REPLICA shoe - an oki-ni favourite - is a reproduction of a '70s Austrian army trainer, used for indoor training. Each season, Margiela use the silhouette as a blank canvas to display their unique artisanal finishes, making the style their own whilst remaining true to its original form.
THE NUMBERS
On the reverse of Margiela's minimal branding, you'll find a label with a list of numbers. You might already know that the numbers represent Margiela's 24 different collections, spanning menswear, womenswear and accessories. On oki-ni, you'll see each Margiela piece is prefaced by its collection number, which can also be discovered by checking which number is circled on your particular piece.
10-14 / THE COLLECTION FOR MEN
Typifying Margiela's avant-garde, subversive approach to design, garments numbered with 10 re-interpret classic pieces for contemporary wear, often showcasing the themes of the season. Garments labelled with 14 are part of the brand's 'wardrobe', design staples that place emphasis on timelessness rather than a seasonal approach.
11 / 22 MENS SHOES & ACCESSORIES
Collection 11 encompasses all of Margiela's varied accessories, including bags, belts, small leather goods and jewellery. Since 2005, all shoes have been regrouped and labelled 22, a range which includes a diverse selection of footwear, from the iconic REPLICA sneaker to traditional leather shoes.
Creating a contemporary version of timeless vintage garments is hardly a ground-breaking design concept; it's difficult to find a contemporary piece that isn't derivative of the past in some way. However, Margiela's REPLICA collection is something different - a precise re-creation of iconic, timeless pieces in the finest modern fabrics.
