During a rather bitter and wet evening at the end of January, Maison Margiela invited guests to attend their Paris Couture Week show. Their fashion show, situated under the Pont Alexandre III bridge, brought to life the creative genius that is John Galliano. The show single handedly immersed and meshed the fashion world with that of the theatrical and creative one.
The show started with a selection of aperitivos including violet cocktails with violet candies to pair. After introductory cocktails, the show began. With a performance from Lucky Love and an accompanied gospel choir to start the show—or more fittingly the performance—both Galliano and Margiela set the stage for one of the most impactful displays of haute couture the fashion world has seen in years.
The models were not the only decor at the show, with the entire restaurant decked out in paper streamers, liquor bottles, broken plates and more. Leon Dame, the opening model, or “muse” as Galliano prefers, emerged on a number of screens decorating the venue, before entering the runway and making his way through the restaurant. As reported by W Magazine and The New York Times, Dame’s opening walk caused a domino effect of immediate gasps and applause from the show’s attendees.
All of the pieces encompassed different aspects of art and creativity, some of the collection included a focus on body enhancements with shapes and padding garnishing different areas of the body. Corsets adorned the waists of a number of models drawing attention to their incredible silhouettes. There were pieces that appeared more worn and weathered with hints of grays and black; these tattered and sheer dresses mimicking a sort of distorted dream. Paired with many of these neutral dresses and pieces within the collection were pops of pink and orange ballet flats and slip ons.
Galliano’s collection was an expressive commentary on transforming oneself through modifications of shapes and beauty. The transitions from sheer dresses to worn and weathered ones to dresses adorning doll-like models brilliantly highlighted what one might do to transform oneself through fashion and couture. These doll-like models were transformed by the incredible Pat McGrath who created an appearance of glass skin with wildly dramatic eyeshadow and lipsticks to match. The wet and glossy makeup was another component of the Maison Margiela show people could not stop talking about. With makeup influencers and fashion lovers alike taking to social media investigating how and what was used to create this effect.
The collection which was brought to life in just a mere 12 months didn’t just inspire rounds of applause but sparked conversations and newfound excitement. The sheer talent and creative genius that is Galliano and Margiela meshed seamlessly to produce what is being regarded as the show of the year.
