Maison Margiela Artisanal Haute Couture S/S 2024 Paris

[aracic]

God. What a show. I’m sat in disbelief as I just finished watching the full collection on Youtube, I didn’t think I’d ever feel this way watching a contemporary fashion show. Not one collection in the past 10 years in which I actively consumed current fashion media has made me feel such strong emotion or ignite such love for fashion, as this collection did. Not one. Such inspiration and dreams sparked in me as I watch the models contort through the splendid setting of this presentation. I’m even inspired to leave a review more coherent than gay slang, which I feel I haven’t done in a long time.

The clothing is beautiful. So many outstanding garments stayed clearly in my mind, something I don’t experience often when viewing new collections. The shapes and proportions are obviously the most eye catching elements on the initial viewing. Quite spectacular corseting, which I’ve always been a fan of! It really made the all the silhouettes pop all the more unnaturally, the models looked like illustrations come to life. Incredible! Strong craftsmanship paired with excellent styling, this collection simply felt so complete. Complete in a sense that absolutely nothing was lacking. An elaborate set that elevated the story; beautiful music to carry us through; fantastic models translating the story with their movements, bringing the garments to full life; styling that goes beyond simple accessorizing; impeccable hair and makeup. So many details to ponder, so much beauty to take in. I’m still processing! I can’t believe that we are seeing something so extraordinary in this day and age, true elaborate fashion design and storytelling with thought out styling, elevated with a strong presentation! Who would’ve thought?

I am sort of surprised by the comments here, though. A lot of you seem to forget that Pat McGrath’s artistry precedes the polished beauty queens of modern Drag Race, so I’m confused as to how you associate this look with the queens and not the originator. Not one look reminded me of drag queens upon my viewing, but I guess we all interpret fashion differently. It seems to me that constant exposure to mediocre fashion and media has left us so hungry for peak fashion that we no longer recognise it when it’s right in front of us. We complain when there’s no theatrics and extravagance, yet we still complain when there is. Do we even know what we want anymore?

 

[Olaffo]

The small, cosy reason why he is genius is that we're here to debate and confront our opinions. None of the other shows made such distinction and length of the comments. Obviously he should be rejoined with his namesake brand but because it won't happen, then Margiela is his only creative outlet. I love Galiano so whatever he produces is already glorious so the collection is stunning and that's that.

 

[jeanclaude]

Another video with the original music:

 

[matheus_s]

Galliano > margiela
Cant find Margiela here, sorry. Miss the minimalism

 

[Deleted member 141309]

This collection screamed more Westwood than Margiela and I think it has to do with his relationship with the past.

This could also be that the times he started and learnt fashion were when Vivienne and Jean-Paul were climbing to the heights at the time, so that may have influenced his way of interpretation in fashion. Margiela did bring everyday into his work, and also the point was that each his collection seemed to have that quotidien of exactly the year he was showing it. It was definitely what he saw on the street that he interpreted, as like those fragile strap accessories or the seatbelts. With John it seems that it is not only the past of times, but his personal past that is overshadowing the key of Margiela's aspect. It could be that the requirement of RTW being actually wearable in everyday life tones it down and it ends up being way more closer to Martin.

I am sort of surprised by the comments here, though. A lot of you seem to forget that Pat McGrath’s artistry precedes the polished beauty queens of modern Drag Race, so I’m confused as to how you associate this look with the queens and not the originator.

Agreed. She might have also included the theatrics and popularized them inside fashion, but the RPDR just made it way more mainstream since we saw the dawn of post-elitist fashion. But Pat herself was an interpreter (who isn't, anyway) of looks that came before. I am more surprised people compare this to Drag Race, what is the most current and also an extremely lazy link. Tudors, Cleopatra, Romans, Roaring 20s, Cabaret, Geishas and etc. existed way before any of these things. Also given John's long time work as a National Theatre stylist, as well as his obsession with mid- and post-revolutionary France, plus as you mentioned Pat, who is also hugely influenced by theatre as well, since John and Lee basically launched her career.

 

[FelipeV]

FINALLY, drama, theater, excess, darkness, whatever. I don't care about Margiela, I want to see Galliano like in his glory days. I'm glad to see his confidence is back, and to finally own his aesthetic at full.

 

[Kennnnn]

As others have commented, I saw a lot of Vivienne Westwood in this collection. The cardboard outfit was fantastic, and the cobwebbed suit exquisite. But there is no Margiela in this, and I was really thrown off by all the pubic hair on display.

 

[lookatme]

Well.

Bitter, jaded old me is taken aback by this collection.

I’m cringing as I type this, but I really did have a tear or two watching the video of the show.

John has been my favorite designer since I was 14 (I’m 33 now). I fell in love with fashion because of him. He will always be my favorite.

To see clothes so passionately designed and made…the commitment and love in every stitch..it’s almost unbearable. Every detail is so ingenious and imaginative! The trompe l’oeil light and shadows on coats, the latex trouser hems made to look soaking wet worn with raindrop blazers, the corrugated cardboard silk…it’s endless and it’s so inspiring.

And at this point, it makes almost no difference what name is on the label…Galliano is the only true designer left in this godforsaken industry.

I suppose what got me so emotional is that someone like John is still out there…that there’s someone out there still committed to true excellence and craft and beauty. That he can wear his heart on his sleeve and be vulnerable and unguarded and show his work in this way. Everyone else is so calculated now. This is the opposite of that. In every way. It’s very moving.

 

[Phuel]

Mullet, come quick: This is the fashion discussion you’re been lamenting has all but disappeared from TFS LOL

John is serving a master’s feast in times of fashion fastfood famine. ...Frankly, the feast is a tad too gamey for my palette, but nevertheless still a master’s feast.

The Margiela signatures are all there, if one remembers to look all the way back to his debut in 1989: The mishmash boiled wool tops paired with tattered silvery sequinned long skirts; the transparency over the opaque silhouettes; the tailor’s stitches left untouched; The mixing of latex and recycled 1950s tulle ballgowns and WWll trench coats and aviator jackets, and all adorned with what looks to be an illusion of painted full-face porcelain masks of the models’ haunting heads, like a ghostly whirlwind of WWl marionettes, characters from Kurt Vonnegut's and Charles Dickens’ words, and Toulouse-Lautrec's paintings come to life etc etc There’s a lot to deconstruct for a clientele— and apparently client now, into real-life clothes, but it’s there if they want it.

If only the likes of former Greats Gaultier/Miuccia/Rei were as potently, masterfully, and vividly as creative as John has remained. He truly is the last of The Greats still standing.

 

[RaisinBoy]

yass momma he ate and left no crumbs. didnt think fashion like this existed anymore. i hope they keep letting him go full galliano with all the theatrics from now on. so much drama, emotions, theatrics but never gimmicky just fashion at its highest form. Havent felt like this in a show since horn of plenty.

Thought this sort of fashion stopped long ago. Todat its just dusty theatrical bad fashion

 

[RaisinBoy]

Horrible show. America’s next drag race

 

[GivenchyAddict]

Pure Galliano quintessence! Fashion with a capital F!

His peers should watch and learn (*cough* Kim Jones, *cough* Virginie Viard) : he gave us storytelling, technique and creativity, and the models embodied their characters. It was sexy, irreverent, romantic and moody.

I am not a fan of seeing him at Margiela as it is nothing related to the brand. He could have done so many great things at his eponymous brand.

 

[gallianostan]

i really do think it is time for margiela to let him go. he ought to be at a larger house more aligned with his sensibilities, rather than be shackled to a set of house codes that are mostly foreign to him. it would probably never happen but it would be nice to see him return to givenchy and give the house a much needed rehabilitation.

 

[tourbillions]

Thought this sort of fashion stopped long ago. Todat its just dusty theatrical bad fashion

you seem to be interchanging fashion with showmanship. One could say this type of showmanship and presentation is dusty/passe/outdated. But the clothes and propositions presented here are all fashion at its peak. Modern ideas stiched in classic silhouettes and classic ideals of fashion.

I'm so tired of these clinical "moden" shows that heavily relies on gimmicks that takes no skill to pull off. For me that is the real americas drag race... sticking on as much crystals as they can and subpar construction of oversized clothes. So shallow and emotionless. Let's not forget all these baggy clothes modern people are wearing now where once all over the clearance sections of tj maxx.

re: moving to other houses... I think he should stay where he is allowed to flourish and do what he wants. If Margiela is letting him do Galliano things and somehow the suits are happy with their sales i dont see any reason for him to go somewhere else.

 

[Bernie Flood]

VOGUE.COM

Is Thom Browne trying to be the next Galliano? His collections reminds me of this.

 

[Cocteau Stone]

If I’m being honest I need more time to really go through this and grasp it all. It is IMMACULATE from a technical point of view, and really translates itself as couture all because of what they have got the atelier to do. The silhouettes are gorgeous, the degrades are top quality and the styling of it all is right for what it is turning to translate.

I think what throws me off is, and I think what others want, is that this is a great Galliano collection, not so much Margiela. Yes there is a lot of Margiela in here and it’s pretty notable, but I want this under Galliano, not Margiela. I miss the niche of labels being what they are and what they represent so this is an awkward blending of two world where one favours the other. The whole BBL commentary is very on brand for both but I think they would deal with it in such opposite spectrums that the collision of the two is almost too fatty. There’s a need for more aesthetic specificity with brands and here it’s an overload of both to make the best of both worlds.

By far this is one of the best of couture week, but there’s something here that still isn’t right. It’s dense, somewhat disingenuous for reasons that aren’t obvious and frankly this just makes me want Galliano to be at GALLIANO!!! It’s so frustrating to see these and know what he loves, cherishes and thrives in isn’t under his own name but has to be under another (but at the moment, we can’t have it any other way).

 

[tourbillions]

after this collection i think i want a piece of his margiela... dunno what do hopefully i dont end up with a tabi that ill never wear

 

[gallianostan]

It’s dense, somewhat disingenuous for reasons that aren’t obvious and frankly this just makes me want Galliano to be at GALLIANO!!!

i agree that there's a kind of weird density to it, and it does feel disingenuous. a bit like an overload.

 

[aracic]

Why are we expecting John to do minimalism, though? That is not how he interprets house codes and we’ve had over ten years of his tenure at Dior to prove that. There are codes from the original designer incorporated into every collection, if you know where to look for them, but he presents them in his own unique way. Nothing about his Dior was very obviously Christian Dior, just like nothing here screams Margiela. And I, for one, think that’s a good thing. Nobody can be another Margiela and the only way for another designer to thrive at the house is to put his own spin on it. Not every designer’s spin is a good spin (e.g. current Balenciaga, Givnechy or Fendi), so to have John Galliano at his full potential here is nothing but a blessing to fashion!

 

[tourbillions]

This is going to be an ongoing problem when houses whose original founders finally pass the creative reigns to someone else. Specially the ones who we lived to see and has such a strong point of view such as mcqueen, armani, jpg, margiela. Their successor will always be criticized for not following the codes and if they do follow the codes they will be criticized for just copying without the original sole. The successors will always be in a lose-lose situation no matter how talented and able they are. The same happened with burton at mcqueen and now galliano at margiela. Both are highly talented artists and technicians but completely different from the original that we happened to have seen with our own eyes do their collections. Both are also heavily respecting the codes albeit doing it on their own sensibilities.

The easy way is always "close the brand", if it only these were at-home etsy shops this will be easy to do.