Maison Margiela Artisanal: Natty nomadic cutting

By

Godfrey Deeny

Published
Jul 3, 2019

Judging by his latest collection; choice of music and light projections, John Galliano is in a reflective mood – as was evident in his latest fashion offering for Maison Margiela.

 
The audience invited to witness the presentation of Maison Margiela Artisanal – the avant garde’s house’s couture line - stood patiently for the show to begin – 45 minutes late. Opposite on a long white wall were projected lingering video images of the naked human form – blown up a half dozen times. The somber mood inside the houses’ headquarters on funky rue St Maur was underlined by two classic pre-show French tunes of longing and regret – Jacques Brel’s Ne Me Quitte Pas, and Barbara’s L’Aigle Noir.
 
Finally, the sound was slowly turned down and the cast appeared – in the latest display of deconstructed dandyism from the UK couturier for the Paris-based house founded by a Belgian designer.

Mode morphology in a co-ed show. For the gents: tunic/tuxedos finished with garter straps; public school sweaters worn by an Etonian Edward Scissorhands, finished with suspenders and patent leather boots; stencil-cut blazers with crepe shawl collars.

 
For the damsels: way-off the shoulder khaki WW I great coats cut for a restoration moll; S&M bustiers cut like a flower in blossom; or a trio of jumbled up crinolines that looked made of abstract celluloid, where the models' arms were hand-painted to match these prints.
 
The stencil proved to be unifying trick in the collection, seen in cabans and trenchs for boys; and redingotes and black snakeskin dusters for the gals.
 
Galliano, as is his wont, took no bow.
 
“Evolving the facets of nomadic cutting,” was how he termed the construction of this particular show. The latest distillation of a high-octane fashion elixir that is Galliano at Margiela.