Maison Martin Margiela S/S 12 Review

We paid a visit to The Phoenix cinema in East Finchley to showcase this season’s Maison Martin Margiela collection. View the shopable shoot above and read our full review of the collection below.

As the curtain rose on the Maison Martin Margiela spring/summer ’12 show, a quick scan of the surroundings would have given us a good clue as to what to expect. Sat, as we were, on the plush red velvet seats of Le Trianon – a historic Parisian music hall and now cinema – it should have been no surprise that cinematic themes of illusion would be pushed into the foreground. The show even started with a short film.



Of course, illusion is not a foreign concept for Margeila. The best piece of misdirection in fashion was, and still is, the concealing of Martin Margiela and now the anonymous design team that run the label in his stead. Yet, for Margiela anonymity was never a cheap conjuring trick but a carefully deployed tool, used to undermine the prevalent cult of celebrity and let the label's ideas and clothes take centre stage. But, while it would be easy to get bogged down in the history and conceptual framework of "The Maison", the real beauty of this collection lies in its central theme and how it is realised through the intricate details of the individual pieces. From a label that has always insisted on "we" instead of "I", this is entirely apt as the collective theme of illusion is created by a variety of distinct shards of a larger mosaic.

The most visible articulation of the theme comes in the 11 accessories collection where links of chains, or whole rings, have been made from transparent plastic, quartz, or rock crystal. These pieces may have been a nightmare for our product photographers (try shooting a clear item on a white background), but they acted as a self-contained manifesto for the collection, representing in a literal and confidently direct way illusion via transparency.

A similar story was told with this season’s apparel where lightweight or semi-transparent materials allowed you to visually peel back the layers of each look, but also to see the construction of the individual pieces that constituted them. Jackets and blazers, for example, cut from lightweight fabric offered a glimpse of the seams and panels beneath - the architecture beneath the facade - giving a nod to another signature Margiela theme, deconstruction.

Meanwhile, in the footwear department – an area traditionally rich in artisanal input - we saw a variety of techniques and finishes, each designed to subtly alter the perception of an individual piece. For example, the layered makeup of the sole unit on some formal styles, with its stacked cross-section resembling a fragment of sedimentary rock, drew attention to an area that is usually overlooked. Conversely, versions of Margiela's chameleon-like Replica trainer - which acts as a welcome ever-present in most Margeila collections - were roughly covered in either black or white paint, camouflaging the luxurious lamb leather. Elsewhere, a new high top style came with a unique lace arrangement where the laces disappeared - Bugs Bunny like - underneath the upper, burrowing their way around the toe and heel. These are just three examples of many, yet the interesting thing is that each demonstrates an intelligently-applied finishes or interesting design detail that has been specially selected to draw the eye.

That said, although this collection is rich with layers of means and applied technique, the collection itself is still essentially wearable and understated. Shapes are traditional and safe, while a rich blue - similar to the one that dominated this season's Paul Smith collection - was the most notable splash of colour. Otherwise, we saw various muted shades of denim mixed with subtle beige, khaki, and washed out reds and yellows.

As ever with Margeila, the fine details are there for you to appreciate if you invest the time in looking. The conceptual core of the collection, rather than distracting, acts a pivot around which everything else revolves. In their supreme quality and fine details each piece is, in itself, a beautiful realisation of artisanal craft. But, when seen as part of a whole, it is also much, much more than this. In the same way that individual pieces combine to create a collection, countless unseen hands have come together to create the individual pieces. Maison Martin Margiela has created an illusion, but not one that leaves you feeling cheated or befuddled. Not quite sleight of hand, but sleight of hands.


Credits:
Hair styling | Francesca Morris
Model | Max Barreau at Models 1
Location | Phoenix Cinema

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