Martin Margiela Debut Runway 1989/SS

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Martin Margiela has always been synonymous for going against the grain, when fashion went left Margiela went right. He has been known for wanting to always exclusively put an emphasis on the clothing being demonstrated rather than the models walking the show.

As well as being a designer around the time the anti fashion movement was in effect. He would always have models walk the runway in dishevelled outfits, covering faces & making sure the show goers would focus on the garments being presented.

A great example of this is how Martin would always have some form of face covering weather it be: Masks, Makeup covering eyes, Fabric over the eyes, Even going as far as putting Wigs to hide the models faces. He would always find a way to cover the faces to make sure there’s no other focus on anything but the clothes. Almost making the models like mannequins where you don’t think about anything else but how the clothes looked.

He was very in tune with the concept of everyone being one & Unity/Equality in the Maison, & a great example of this is how he would make all his staff wear white lab coats while working & even at runway shows. This way there was no sense of hierarchy since everyone was dressed the same. There wouldn’t be anyone wearing the latest garments or wouldn’t be someone wearing some more expensive clothes than the other they’d all be able to simply focus on work & unity.

How ever not the main reason this whole idea came to mind was that originally Margiela did not have the funds to pay for all the biggest models at the time, unlike the other larger fashion houses around the 80s-90s who would pay big money for the most infamous models. This was a way for Margiela to divert the attention towards the clothes & make a stance against the mainstream.