Glenn Marten’s long awaited debut for Maison Margiela brought a hauntingly beautiful juxtaposition between delicate details and brutalist designs – baroque spoons met Smashing Pumpkins while plastic dresses slinked past in the shadow of welded metal masks. But for those familiar with Maison Margiela’s long, rebellious lineage, this was nostalgic of some of Martin
Margiela’s very first runway shows.
The soft, romantic melody of the Smashing Pumpkins clashed beautifully with the collection’s raw deconstruction, setting the tone for a show that was both emotional and disruptive. Martens was able to weave his own personality into the collection, while drawing inspiration from his work at Diesel and previous designers at Margiela. Behind the scenes, Simon Carle played a pivotal role in facilitating the creative handover from John Galliano to Glenn Martens. His ability to create a seamless transition left room for Martens to carve a bold, new path at the house. It was clear Martens had been waiting for the opportunity to show us just how much he can do, and how much we have yet to see. His debut collection not only evoked an awe-stricken crowd; it reawakened the passion that runway shows once stirred. Martens revived the theatrics that seemed to have been buried in recent years, reminding us of the allure and drama that fashion is meant to invoke.
Dresses made of clear plastic echoed the brand’s long history with unconventional materials.
Models wore masks that were welded together by mechanics, nodding to Martin Margiela’s first show in Spring/Summer ’89, when models walked the runway veiled to shift focus from identity to design. That same question lingers now: in a culture fixated on status, can we look past the model to focus solely on the clothes?
The collection included oversized denim that slouched just right, sharp tailoring softened by frayed hems, and exaggerated shapes that swallowed the body whole – evoking a kind of beautiful discomfort. It’s the “messy French girl” stripped of restraint: careless, cool, and completely in control. The Margiela woman isn’t trying to impress you. She’s dressing for herself.
One standout look featured a baroque-inspired statement necklace that anchored a white ensemble. It featured multiple tiers of intricate silver-toned metalwork adorned with an array of oversized, ruby-red gemstones enclosed by clusters of clear crystals. The piece cascaded from the neck down to the chest in a regal drape. An extreme maximalist accessory contrasted sharply by a sheer, minimalist nude gown created a powerful visual tension between vulnerability and grandeur. Even the show invite – an ornate, baroque spoon – hinted at the contradictions between decadent and domestic, ceremonial and practical.
Martens’ debut at Margiela brought a fresh perspective to the runway, reigniting excitement for fashion’s return to theatrical expression. Under his reign, we can hope to see a new era of deconstruction and decadence.
