HC: Elite de Paris. Schiaparelli SS15

January 30, 2015January 31, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

I mean, Schiaparelli didn’t gave much time to Marco Zanini. After two seasons, he’s out. Well, if it’s couture, then don’t count on high retail, right? Duhh. If talking of the collection – I am a bit annoyed. The collection was designed by Schiaparelli studio, so it doesn’t have any fresh touch. It’s just about taking archive pieces from pre-war period and making them a bit more modern. But from the other side, the dresses were impressive with all those embroideries. Then, the beaded saris and white smoking brought the old good Parisian elite to life. But… I want something more. I want the house to respect it’s legacy, but at the same time represent something individual, fresh. Hmmm…

HC: Galliano. Maison Martin Margiela SS15

January 13, 2015January 13, 2015 | Design & Culture by Ed

At the end of the show, every Instagram post said one thing: he’s back. Who? Of course John Galliano. The biggest couturier of 21st century, the story-teller of fashion, the provocateur – is back in great form. At Maison Martin Margiela.

His debutant show was presented in London – which is a major change because all previous Margiela collections were presented in Paris. But in reality, London was the main inspiration behind the Artisanal presentation. It’s youthful attitude, beautiful people and monarchy vs. punk conflict strongly influenced John throughout his career and while creating the collection.

The first look was suprisingly Margiela, but not that much at the same time – Galliano trailed toy cars across the collaged landscape of a tiny suede sheath. The sheath is the signature Martin Margiela piece, but the infantile elements are making us think of John’s spirit of fantasy. Within this excessively embroidered collection, we’ve met so many bold characters. The red queen coming straight from a fairy-tale. The tribal leader wearing a pagan veil. The rebellious dame looking like Vivienne Westwood. The chic dandy in black suite. Many of them were unknown to the house codes, but they feel close to it with their strong identity and need of experimenting.

With a blink-and-you-missed-it bow, John Galliano was seen wearing an iconic white coat from the Margiela atelier. Famous for showing off with his own outfit, this time he thought that’s not needed – the collection itself was so fearless, daring, heroic and stunning, that only the visual experience can express it!

Galliano at Margiela

January 3, 2015January 6, 2024 | Design & Culture by Ed

Guys, that’s happening. John Galliano is taking over Maison Martin Margiela, and presents his first Haute Couture collection this month. Firstly, this combination felt a bit awkward to everybody – Margiela was always known for “minimalism”. But that’s just a fashion stereotype. No. Maison Martin Margiela has never been a minimal label. It’s dramatic, bold, edgy, different. The fact that real Martin Margiela never gave any interview and he is totally anonymous up to today, doesn’t mean that the label is minimalistic. Just look at their past artisanal collections – they are full of couture embroideries, one-of-a-kind textiles (for example tapestry based on La Femme du Roi by Paul Gauguin (1896) or draping made from two hanging textile prints of Mira Lunar, designed by Verner Panton) and fantastic jewellery. Maison Martin Margiela also brought a lot of unexpected accessories to their ready-to-wear – transparent plexi clutches with artificial roses inside or the famous tabi boots, which look like a horse hoof.

I am writing about this, to prove you one thing – reflecting on John Galliano’s collections in the past for Dior, his style should be perfect for Maison Martin Margiela. The fact, that he got drunk and started to say cruel things about Jews in one of Parisian caffees few years ago made him lose his own namesake label and Dior. Everybody showed Galliano their back, and from the first place everybody fell in love with Raf Simons. But forgetting the political matter which was strongly emphasized by LVMH (nobody’s sure whever these guys simply didn’t frame John into this “scandal”. Maybe they simply wanted to get rid of him?)- fashion world felt dull after Galliano’s departure. And the word minimal really matches Raf Simons – yes, his dresses are up till now the most sleepy of all during Haute Couture week in Paris.

But now, Renzo Rosso group, which owns Margiela, took over John Galliano. And hopefully, the fashion world is going to cheer up again, with this man. While waiting to see Maison Martin Margiela Haute Couture SS15 by John Galliano in few days, have a look at he biggest Dior / Galliano couture moments and last season’s Margiela / Matthieu Blazy show.

HC: Red. Viktor & Rolf AW14

July 11, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

Viktor & Rolf thought of something so clear for today’s celebrities- red carpets. For their third haute couture show, they changed the whole runway into an endless red carpet. And, amazingly, the clothes were also red… and were made out of carpets, mostly. If you are interested how to knot your red, bathroom rug around your body, here is your perfect guide. Should I write more?

HC: Masacarade. Maison Martin Margiela AW14

July 10, 2014 | Design & Culture by Ed

“It enriches, it dresses, it decorates” was the quote, as Maison Martin Margiela Artisanal once again sought out a vision of haute couture that is wholly idiosyncratic to the house. Having cherry-picked the finest textiles from 18th century French lampas silks to Japanese 50s silk bomber jackets, MMM lavished hours of embroidery and embellishment work on top so that you can’t distinguish what was found and what was created. Again, thing that were lost were again found, things old were new and thing ugly again were beautiful. Although, I must say, it all looked like a mascarade ball. And veils were all about faberge eggs, Kanye!