The creative direction of Martin Margiela's eponymous house has faced extensive scrutiny and debate since his departure from the brand. The maison received elegance and theatricality from John Galliano who worked within Margiela's foundational codes to create designs that showcased his own distinctive style.
He applied his personal method to fashion history by taking apart existing designs then creating innovative new creations from the deconstructed elements. The outcome presented an intriguing blend of Margiela's style elements which Galliano processed through his romantic and historical perspective.
The Arrival of Glenn Martens
The departure of John Galliano from Maison Margiela marks a new era under Glenn Martens who previously transformed Y/Project and Diesel as a designer. The designer presents a new interpretation of Margiela house codes through his work which maintains both revolutionary elements and authentic Margiela spirit.
Artisanal as Manifesto
The debut Artisanal collection from Martens presented itself as a visual masterpiece which revealed his design direction for the future. The designer used the Spring/Summer 1990 debut show masks from Martin Margiela's legendary collection to show his mastery of the brand heritage while demonstrating his personal creative direction. The October 1989 Parisian playground presentation of the Spring/Summer 1990 collection introduced the three core values of anonymity and deconstruction and fashion convention disruption which define the house.
The designer used the mask motif in his first Artisanal show to demonstrate his grasp of Margiela heritage while establishing his personal vision for the brand.