Maison Margiela is an avant-garde fashion house founded in 1988 by Belgian designer Martin Margiela. The Paris-based luxury label is known for its experimental, deconstructive designs, play with proportions and its iconic tabi boots. The fashion house sells women’s and men’s clothing, accessories, shoes and jewellery, as well as eyewear and perfumes. In addition to the unusual main line, Maison Margiela also sells a sportier, everyday collection under the sister label MM6.
origins
Founded in 1988, Margiela quickly made a name for itself in the fashion world with its unconventional designs. The designer is considered a modern deconstructivist who sees fashion as an art form and lets the clothes speak for themselves. For this reason, Martin Margiela never came out in public to shift the focus away from the personality cult and towards fashion.
evolution
In 2002, Margiela sold his fashion house to the OTB Group, which also owns Diesel and Jil Sander, among others. In 2009, the designer unexpectedly left his own label. An in-house, anonymous team of designers carried on the founder’s legacy until John Galliano, former chief designer at Dior, was appointed Maison Margiela’s new creative director in 2014. Since then, Galliano has based himself on the extensive archive of Martin Margiela himself, but interprets the vision of the founder through his own, romantic handwriting.
Current
Today, together with sister brand MM6, Maison Margiela continues to celebrate its avant-garde heritage and reinvent modern fashion. The fashion house has over 70 of its own stores around the world, including boutiques that exclusively stock the MM6 collection. In addition, the label is represented internationally at the most important retailers and department stores.