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| Maison Martin Margiela H&M November 15 Launch 2012 |
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| Shoreditch East London |
"Categorised successfully as underground, deconstructive, destroy,
grunge, minimalist, provocative, established" - excerpt from catalogue
to exhibition held to celebrate 20 years of Maison Martin Margiela June
3 2010 to September 5 2010 Somerset House, London, England.
pioneered the design of the shoulder of a narrow jacket with puffed
sleeves mounted high for an elegant silhouette, an invention which still
defines the look of the label today. Tabi boots in leather with a split
toe traditionally worn as a slipper for agility in Japan is another
recognised design Margiela feature.The label on a Maison Martin
Margiela garment (main collection) is a plain white square hand sewn
at each edge with four white stitches. So instead of an obvious designer
label, a blank white square, reversing the idea of the value of designerwear.
Other collections are identified by a circled number and since 1998,
Maison Martin Margiela has designed four collections yearly for men.
Martin Margiela's runway shows, which I attended in Paris initially for
i-D magazine from October 1992 onwards, were always an
incredible, involving experience. Demonstrating his concepts by staging
his shows in unexpected venues, such as disused warehouses, away from
the usual runway, he disposed of every available rule in
fashion, including the importance of the front row. Introducing
integrity in an industry that needs it, Martin Margiela broadened the
beauty spectrum, expanding what was acceptable by casting unusual women
to display the clothing. Sometimes the model's faces were completely
covered in order not to distract from the design content of the
collection with highstreet retailer
H&M in November 2012 was at least as
incredible a moment as when Jay-Z first raps "Maison Martin Margiela" in
'Run This Town', his track with Rihanna and Kanye West. Margiela's name
has since been checked by other rappers and Kanye himself attended the
Manhattan H&M collaboration collection launch in NYC, an epic moment
where valued conceptual design meets the accessible highstreet.
