Martin Margiela at MoMu

Last month I visited 2 exhibitions that I really wanted to see and been planning to post the picts for a while. The first one was Margiela’s overview exhibition at ModeMuseum Antwerp. Luckily the exhibition was succesful and extended for a month so I could also see it..The entrance:

The show was set up very well and explained all Margiela concepts in a very informative yet interesting way. Super nice to read all the different lines and thoughts behind it. I’ll show some interesting parts like the ‘Incognito’ strategy of the brand; from the beginning Margiela decided to stay anonimous, no pictures from the designer itself are spread as a reaction to the designer stardom that dominated the fashionworld in the 80’s and 90’s. This is also translated in one of the most significant elements in Margiela’s clothing: a blanc white cotton label stitched by hand on the four corners, without any designer name. Also in the presentation of the collections the models are made anonimous and further objects, accessories and clothing items are often covered with white cotton sleeves and tape. Incognito:

One aspect that comes back often in Margiela’s oeuvre is painting over materials and clothing. Also furniture and interiors of shops and offices are painted white. This extra white layer gives the illusion of a neutral canvas. But when wearing the clothing or using the furniture, the paint will slowly burst and the original color and texture will reveal itself. The designer shows you can’t deny history. Paint:

Maison Martin Margiela got known in the end of the 80s by reworking second hand clothing to new clothing. They illustrate the ageing process. Besides, they design clothing that looks worn and used but in fact isn’t. They rework existing clothes, fabrics and objects to create new garments and accessories. The challenge is linked to finding a new role and force for materials, revisiting their structure and use. Destroy:

Super nice invitations for defiles and showrooms:

The Maison is mainly known for its conceptual and radical interpretation of fashion, but also has a thorough knowledge of fashion history that forms the base of the house. For 20 years they design numerous variations on iconic clothing pieces like a trenchcoat, a jeans, a smoking. These pieces represent our collective memory of Western fashion.Classic trenchcoat:

Some previous collections contain pieces that are inspired by a dolls wardrobe, like pieces from Barbie, Ken, GI Joe. The ‘ideal’ and standard body is questioned. All details and disproportions are kept and enlarged. This results in gigantic zippers and push buttons, and enlarged patterns and extreme thick wool:

The shoulder is an important in Margiela’s silhouet. In the 80s the Maison was very succesful with a small jacket with high shoulders. They kept on experimenting with extreme shoulder proportions:

Since 2003-2004 the Maison introduced the ‘Replica’ pieces under the lines 4 and 14. These are reproductions of archetypical, second hand clothing from different style periods. A second label is attached with info about the style, the heritage, date etc. The second hand pieces are reproduced as exact as possible and the role of the Maison is limited to the choice of fabric and the precise reproduction:

Since the beginning the Maison re-uses secondhand clothing calling this ‘ garments remodelled by hand’. Since 2005-2006 these pieces became a seperate collection, the ‘Artisanale collection’, under numer 0 for women and 10 for men. It’s their answer to the haute couture of the classic fashion system and is shown every season during Paris fashion week. Similar to haute couture is the intensive handwork  and the production of limited unique pieces. But the luxury isn’t about using precious materials, but relates to the hours worked on a certain piece. The hours are literally communicated.

In several collections the Maison differs from the standard body prescribed by the fashion world. Oversized clothing that moves as giant, artificial cocoons round the body.

other XXXL pieces:

Really nice part of the exhibition showing the Margiela stores and offices, that are completely in line with the companies philosophy; never situated at an A location, but always in a discrete sidestreet or alley. Never showing the latest clothing in the window or screaming with branding or logos, but the little details, the palette of whites used in the space and on objects, that attract the attention. All part of Margielas vision on fashion; fashion that doesn’t force itself, but connects to the customers own taste and identity…

Flat Garments: a sweater that can be completely zipped open into a square. A blouse based on a grocery bag. Twinset with transparent film that needs to be removed, leaving a plastic coating on the piece…

The 1996 spring / summer collection exists of printed items with a very simple cut, executed in fine, fluent fabrics. Each items is printed with a photo from another piece of clothing , of which both the cut as the material differ a lot form the skirt, jacket or dress it’s printed on. This range is entitled ‘Trompe Loeil:

Mug shots from Martin Margiela’s models:

Installation from the men line ‘An exhibition before Refurbishment’ for the opening their store in Hongkong in 2006:

Hope this gives an insight into MMM vision. The exhibition ended a couple of weeks ago, but it was really nice to see and read all ideas behind the collections and made me understand the label even better. The next one I will post soon….Viktor & Rolf at Centraal Museum Utrecht!

Stay tuned.