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Maison Margiela : Icons

Set about by themes of observation, anatomy, and symbolism, SSENSE and Maison Margiela present a closer look at the artifacts within the house’s Icons collection — introducing a new understanding of their nature both in-progress overtime.

This is an image experimentation, presented in collaboration with photographer Suffo Moncloa, that bisects the FW21 Icons collection into two points of view: that of the observer and of the wearer, and a look at crafted details as the iconic in reverie and the understood intimately.

Photography: Suffo Moncloa

A Character Study

Intrinsic to Mr. John Galliano’s lens, for Spring Summer 2021 Co-Ed; SSENSE and Maison Margiela have drawn up a dynamic character study, reflecting the collection's essence and its distinct themes. The drama and depth of every detail has been documented––an intimate world between subject and creator––colliding within this hypnotic realm.

“The connectivity of interdependence becomes revalued in times of separation. The reliance of one person upon another is a vital pas de deux activated by instinct and trust.” — Maison Margiela

Photography: Jordan Hemingway

Celebrating a New Consciousness for FW20 with Collages by Kalen Hollomon

John Galliano, speaking to his Maison Margiela FW20 collection, attached himself to “the idea of giving something a new life, [of] kickstarting a new consciousness.”

Cited as the driving force behind his latest inspirations for Maison Margiela, the house is no stranger to the ethos of recicla. Deconstructing iconic cuts and silhouettes, Maison Margiela has long transformed all that is uniform into something unparalleled—unpicking the stitches of familiar aesthetic cues as a formal exercise in trompe-l’oeil. By building an identity on absence, Margiela invites speculation. Forget what do I wear, and instead wonder who will I be?

Visual Collages: Kalen Hollomon

On Reverence and Uniform

Mining periods early in the 20th century fraught with unrest; creative director John Galliano masterfully crafts a contemporary narrative of hope and resistance –– examining uniform as the basis for character study.

Director: Kevin Calero

Creative Direction: Sasha Wells

A Still Life Celebration, On the Anniversary of the Cult Shoe

Maison Margiela is a house built on absence. In its early days, the brand created a name out of anonymity, captivating with its humanity while its designer strived to remain invisible. For 15 years following the launch of the house in 1989, Martin Margiela wasn’t only discrete, or camera-shy—he was non-existent. As show-goers were moved by the originality of the label’s presentations, Mr. Martin Margiela was the man who wasn’t there.

Photography: Rebecca Storm

Arabelle Sicardi on a Shoe That Can Truly Be Called Iconic

I have suits with four sleeves and sideways hems, 10 leather jackets varied in color and cut, knee-high velvet boots, and still, the most commented-upon items in my closet are my Margiela tabi boots. They inspire complete strangers to stop me on the street to ask me if they’re comfortable. They compel hypebeasts to pause before getting off the train to ask me where I bought them. They force mothers to hush their children who ask me why I’m wearing such weird shoes. They’re the most divisive thing I own. Naturally, I have multiple pairs and wear them wherever I go.

Text: Arabelle Sicardi

The Noir Mood of Maison Margiela

In 1946, Nino Frank coined the term “film noir” to describe the American crime drama films which flooded into the French theatres in the summer following the German occupation of France. While the exact definition of “film noir” is inscrutable, its mood is distinct. Noir is an atmosphere as much as it’s a genre.

Photography: Thomas McCarty

Styling: Olivia Whittick