The starting point of this chapter for the avant-garde house is the new archeology of the dress. Reflecting on space, time, the past and the present moment, John Galliano develops an alchemical creative process to present the new collection co-ed ‘Artisanal’ 2021 by Maison Margiela. During the Paris Fashion Week he unveiled a short film titled “A Folk Horror Tale”, developed by the creative director together with the filmmaker Olivier Dahan. At the base of everything there is the need to establish a new order, starting from nature with a Haute Couture core, transmitted through generations and ancient traditions. In a way, the new Maison Margiela chapter establishes an even closer community.
“I found poetry in my reflection,” says John Galliano, who takes from the heritage of the House materials to help assist the deconstruction of dresses – typical of the brand. However, the brand is not just deconstructed garments anymore. There are fragments of mirror and leather laces to be found, then there is the story, which is transferred to the clothes with pieces of newspapers embroidered by hand on the fabrics by Celia Pym, a message launched not to forget the past and establish a better future.
With the collection ‘Artisanal’ 2021 Maison Margiela after Recicla, has introduced a new technique, “the essorage”, which could metaphorically be inspired by the process that carried forward the alchemists. It is based on recycling, and the subsequent upcycle of fabrics from stock or charity stores, materials that are enlarged from eight to twelve times only to be restricted again through chemical washes and treatments that reveal the authentic colours. John Galliano draws on the blue works of Anna Sokol ova. Pictorial illustrations are transformed into blue embroidery on fabric majolica, assembled at a later time and resembling a knitwear sweater.
Another core of the collection co-ed ‘Artisanal’ 2021 Maison Margiela was the denim, which is brought back to the original use of fishermen. Blue denim pants, fitted with high fishing boots and padded jackets, but also layered in couture version over imposing dresses. And again the return to nature, with animal masks made of cardboard used at the time of the ritual. Carvings that propose prints in a three-dimensional version, tricorn hats and sailors that bring us back to the culture of the Dutch fisherman and imposing clothes built for assembly.
“A FOLK HORROR TALE” THE MAISON MARGIELA FILM A folk tale with truly horror shades. The video for the co-ed collection Artisanal 2021, created by John Galliano and the filmmaker Olivier Dahan, tells this new sense of historical community brought back to nature in a version untouched by time and space. A 3D photorealistic badge emerges made with effects, lights, LED softwear, unreal landscapes that want to imitate reality inspired by the paintings of the Flemish artists.
Words By Tommaso Donati
