With the collective appetite for Margiela-related news fueled by the label’s enduring culture of elusiveness, the announcement of an insightful documentary and book — both titled We Margiela and set for release this year — is truly exciting. Once labelled ‘fashion’s invisible designer’ Martin Margiela spent his career avoiding interviews, photographs, and end-of-show bows. He seemed to disappear into thin air after leaving the house in 2009. In a revealing article published in the New York Times in 2008, which ran with a super rare, candid head shot of the designer, it’s explained that Margiela’s silence was partly in response to the mid-90s rise of celebrity culture as well as his desire that customers “relate to the clothes and the philosophy rather than the news media hype.” Thus, the outside world has long wondered about what really went on behind the scenes at Maison Martin Margiela.
According to We Margiela’s website, the projects “[tell] the untold and intimate story of the enigmatic and singular fashion house Maison Martin Margiela.” Through interviews with label co-founder Jenny Meirens and members of the creative team, a picture of the mysterious fashion house that was “managed by strong gut-feelings and a deep pleasure in taking creative risks” is painted. The film examines the story of the genesis of the house as well as the story of how it ended. None of the subjects of the film have spoken this extensively or publicly about their experiences before. Sadly, Meirens and Margiela are no longer in contact.
After the recent announcement of a Margiela retrospective set to take place in Paris in 2018, the release of the documentary and book is more excellent news for Margiela fans. In the meantime, you can sign up to receive a mail out where you will be sent three envelopes over three months containing paraphernalia, documents, and photographs taken during filming. This includes rare looks at the archives, which will also ultimately be included in the upcoming book.
Credits
Text Briony Wright