The largest single sale of Martin Margiela’s designs from his early career will take place in a major auction on January 27th in Paris. Fashion collectors and museums gain an unprecedented insight into the designer’s revolutionary aesthetic.
Kerry Taylor Auctions and Maurice Auction present over 270 lots from the private collection of sisters Angela and Elena Picozzi, spanning Margiela’s pivotal years from 1988 to 1994. The collection, meticulously assembled under the influence of her mother Graziella Picozzi, a prominent figure in the Italian fashion industry, represents a comprehensive archive of the designer’s formative work.
“We have always viewed these pieces as an important part of fashion history that should be protected,” explained the Picozzi sisters. “We believe the fashion world needs to reconnect with Martin Margiela’s early aesthetic.”
The auction includes pieces from landmark collections, particularly the 1990 Spring/Summer collection, which catapulted Margiela onto the global stage. Highlights include oversized vests, suits with “cigarette” shoulders, painted canvas jackets and sheer vinyl tops that rarely appear on the market.
Rare sketches from 1989
Notably, the auction also features pieces from the little-known “!” project, a collaboration between Margiela and Graziella Picozzi before he founded his eponymous label. This collection includes rare garments and almost 70 original hand-drawn sketches from the Fall/Winter 1989/90 season.
True to Margiela’s enigmatic reputation, the exhibition and auction will take place in a disused building at 81 Boulevard Voltaire in the 11th arrondissement of Paris, coinciding with the upcoming Haute Couture Fashion Week.
The auction features not only rare garments but also important ephemera, including original papercuts and collection sketches, offering fashion historians and collectors a comprehensive insight into Margiela’s early design philosophy.
Previous auctions by the partner houses have set significant market benchmarks, with pieces such as a Chanel haute couture coat selling for 312,000 euros, highlighting the potential value and interest of collectors in this unique Margiela collection.
The auction represents more than just a commercial event; it is an academic examination of a designer who fundamentally changed contemporary fashion by questioning traditional design conventions.
This article previously appeared on Fashionunited.uk and was created using digital tools translated.
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