store serif;”>Erin Dunleavy delves into the world of Maison Martin Margiela and the house’s recent collaboration with H&M
Yes, the rumours are true; the renowned Belgian fashion house Maison Martin Margiela is collaborating with the Swedish power house that is H&M. The collection will feature clothing and accessories for men and women and it will be available from the 15th of November in 230 stores worldwide and online. We should all prepare for the ridiculous queues again, as this is due to be a hugely popular collection, and has already garnered positive reviews from the fashion press. This is thrilling news for fans of Margiela’s usually very high-priced designs. This is a platform for the more modest earners among us to indulge in the brand. Maison Martin Margiela is a house which has always followed its own path, often outside the conventional fashion framework. So for the more daring dresser, this collaboration is a real treat.
After graduating from Antwerp’s prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 1980, Margiela worked as a freelance designer for five years. Between 1985 and 1987 he worked for Jean Paul Gaultier before showing his first collection under his own label in 1989. Between 1997 and 2003 he became, despite his non-traditional design, the creative director of the Hermes women’s line. Throughout his career, Martin Margiela has maintained an extremely low profile. He has never had his picture taken and remains backstage after his shows. All media contact is dealt with via fax. Maison Martin Margiela’s ultra-discreet trademark consists of a piece of cloth printed with the numbers 0-23. The badge is attached to the inside of the garment with its four little white pick stitches, exposed to the outside on unlined garments, acting as an outward stamp of admiration for the avant-garde designer. For the 20th anniversary the anonymous tag was replaced by a classic logotype.
Margiela famously redesigns everyday objects such as old wigs, canvases and silk scarves into beautiful and thoughtful garments. Deconstruction is also a key concept of Margiela’s designs, as seen with his H&M pieces, which include a four sleeved dress, and a piece which looks like two dresses stitched together. The issues with Margielas resignation from his beloved house has been clouded in mystery. This makes the collaboration with such a high profile chain as H&M all the more intriguing!
