Maison Martin Margiela-20-The Exhibition

Yesterday afternoon I was taken to Somerset House to view the Martin Margiela exhibit commemorating twenty years of the iconic conceptual design house. The various parts of the exhibit are all presented so ingeniously- as befits such a staggeringly unique collection. Set along two levels of straight corridor the exhibit incorporates actual garments from the collections, catwalk invitations, warehouse plans, shoes, trompe l'oeil wall hangings and several amazing video displays. At the far end of the entrance level corridor is an enormous screen playing the SS09 catwalk show-in itself a celebration of the House's 20th anniversary. I had never seen this footage before but was instantly captivated. The production for it is astounding. The union of music, lighting and set design is flawless. I was instantly hooked by the use of an old favourite song as one of the tunes on the soundtrack- Peaches 'Fuck the Pain Away' (If you've ever seen Jackass the movie you will surely know what I mean). We were given the choice of three briefs to write in response to the exhibit:

• Tobi or not to be-why two toes are better than five.
• Deconstructive criticism- how Margiela altered fashion's silhouette.
• White is the new black- Margiela and the new purity.

This is my take on the third brief:

White.

Where black is a dark, condensed covering of pigment, white is the opposite. Absence. Starkness. Sterility. Purity.

White is a particularly resonant color choice for Margiela due to the aesthetic and manifesto of the design house. Since its inception Margiela has endeavored to focus any attention solely upon the construction of the garments. The creative process of Margiela is so unique in its methods of design, cut and customization that no effort is spared to prevent the garments from contamination by externally imposed labels. They must be kept pure. Models’ faces are disguised with make-up, masks and fabric to hide their identities. Figures in the look books have their eyes blinded by a thick, almost vandalistic strip of black. Even the identity of Martin Margiela is kept shrouded in darkness due to his withdrawal from the public eye. The label is therefore allowed to stand alone. The garments are distilled pieces of pure creative genius. 

As the garments are purified in their freedom from association with a designer or model, the white of Margiela interiors frees them from time and style. Prints, patterns and color would constrain the garments to a specific period of fashionability which would soon pass. A recognisable locus would also attach Margiela to a specified place-an environment which would detract from the unique beauty of the product. Displayed in white the garments are untainted. Free. Pure. Timeless.

The clear purity of white also allows the audience to determine their own responses. In the current world of fashion the creations are so often overpowered by the ego of the designer, the stigma attached to a label’s name, the theatrics behind catwalk shows featuring the latest ‘it’ model or having the most grand set design; the latest high gloss advertising campaign. Too often the audience is spoon-fed an idea of who they should be to buy, wear or enjoy certain designers. 

Margiela stands alone.

Bathed in a white blanket of anonymity Margiela is a blank canvas on which to project your own ideas. Make up your own mind.