Maison Margiela Couture Fall 2022
During the coronavirus pandemic, fashion houses have transformed into movie studios as shows have given way to digital presentations. Maison Margiela has maintained an irregular schedule for its high-end craft line, showing just two collections – one in July 2020, one a year ago – via free-form feature films directed by photographer Nick Knight and film director respectively. from "La Vie en Rose" Olivier Dahan .
For its return to the catwalks, the house screened another film, except this one was performed and recorded in front of a live audience, including Kim Kardashian in a black hat and veil, at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris . In an ambitious performance that blended theater and rudimentary special effects, the models lip-synced to a pre-recorded soundtrack as the live-streamed film unfolded in real time.
The narrative, crafted by creative director John Galliano, was elliptical at best. His road movie, titled 'Cinema Inferno' and adapted by British theater company Imitating the Dog, blended disparate elements reminiscent of film classics such as 'Badlands', 'Bonnie and Clyde', 'Kill Bill' and 'The Wizard of Oz,” as well as a slew of B-movies, ranging from westerns to horror films.
It provided a somewhat chaotic showcase for the intricate designs, which mixed innovative textures, some created by blasting clothes with sand, with diaphanous dresses and sculptural coats inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. Cowboy duster coats and sequined teddy boy jackets mingled with A-line dresses pieced together from sorbet-colored tulle petticoats and upcycled pieces made from 19th-century bed linen.
Once you surrendered to the lack of plot, it was easier to appreciate the quirky details: the ruby slippers paired with a crisp white swing coat and bunny-eared cap; a riff on surgical scrubs, via bulky coats made of materials such as neoprene, nylon, and bouclé wool; and latex caps that were a cross between an aviator hat and a Pierrot skullcap.
Periodically, guests were jolted from their reverie by gunfight scenes, several of which involved actors pointing fake handguns and rifles directly at the audience. Given the recent spate of mass shootings in the US, Denmark and elsewhere, these have taken a dim note.
The live-action featurette has already been made. During their tenure at Kenzo, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim let their Fall 2018 student collection unfold on a movie set, but their performance resulted in a six-minute film. Running over half an hour, the Margiela version tested viewers' attention spans.
Galliano was a pioneer in using storytelling to elevate fashion shows from a commercial showcase to an artistic statement, notably through his collaboration with the late set designer Michael Howells on his shows for Dior and his brand. eponym. This season proved that its experimental streak is intact, even if the format left you wanting more fashion, less entertainment.
During the coronavirus pandemic, fashion houses have transformed into movie studios as shows have given way to digital presentations. Maison Margiela has maintained an irregular schedule for its high-end craft line, showing just two collections – one in July 2020, one a year ago – via free-form feature films directed by photographer Nick Knight and film director respectively. from "La Vie en Rose" Olivier Dahan .
For its return to the catwalks, the house screened another film, except this one was performed and recorded in front of a live audience, including Kim Kardashian in a black hat and veil, at the Théâtre National de Chaillot in Paris . In an ambitious performance that blended theater and rudimentary special effects, the models lip-synced to a pre-recorded soundtrack as the live-streamed film unfolded in real time.
The narrative, crafted by creative director John Galliano, was elliptical at best. His road movie, titled 'Cinema Inferno' and adapted by British theater company Imitating the Dog, blended disparate elements reminiscent of film classics such as 'Badlands', 'Bonnie and Clyde', 'Kill Bill' and 'The Wizard of Oz,” as well as a slew of B-movies, ranging from westerns to horror films.
It provided a somewhat chaotic showcase for the intricate designs, which mixed innovative textures, some created by blasting clothes with sand, with diaphanous dresses and sculptural coats inspired by the golden age of Hollywood. Cowboy duster coats and sequined teddy boy jackets mingled with A-line dresses pieced together from sorbet-colored tulle petticoats and upcycled pieces made from 19th-century bed linen.
Once you surrendered to the lack of plot, it was easier to appreciate the quirky details: the ruby slippers paired with a crisp white swing coat and bunny-eared cap; a riff on surgical scrubs, via bulky coats made of materials such as neoprene, nylon, and bouclé wool; and latex caps that were a cross between an aviator hat and a Pierrot skullcap.
Periodically, guests were jolted from their reverie by gunfight scenes, several of which involved actors pointing fake handguns and rifles directly at the audience. Given the recent spate of mass shootings in the US, Denmark and elsewhere, these have taken a dim note.
The live-action featurette has already been made. During their tenure at Kenzo, Humberto Leon and Carol Lim let their Fall 2018 student collection unfold on a movie set, but their performance resulted in a six-minute film. Running over half an hour, the Margiela version tested viewers' attention spans.
Galliano was a pioneer in using storytelling to elevate fashion shows from a commercial showcase to an artistic statement, notably through his collaboration with the late set designer Michael Howells on his shows for Dior and his brand. eponym. This season proved that its experimental streak is intact, even if the format left you wanting more fashion, less entertainment.
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