Maison Martin Margiela S/S 2010 / PFW / Day three

The Maison was on a paper trail for spring, starting with the show notes, which gave Post-Its as an inspiration. Indeed, what followed on the runway was an exercise in folding, rumpling and crumpling fabric into dresses and tailored shirts sporting outsize folds in front. Some had an empty potato-chip bag tucked into a belt, and most were cut just below the crotch to flaunt either lots of leg or paper-bag boots.

The requisite weird factor was there in leather jumpsuit/dress hybrids, featuring chaps zipped onto the train of a dress, but with a fair amount of commerciality, too. Boxy white T-shirts with a papier-mâché finish were cool. Ditto the floor-length jersey dresses with backs sliced, shredded and tied into seemingly random knots, an effect replicated later on with chains. On the whole, the collection felt more authentic than last season’s, yet it lacked the brooding intensity of true-blue Margiela, who probably wouldn’t have shown those too-trendy shoulders again.

But it’s a new era. Whether or not Margiela himself is involved, the label has become a pop product that tickles wannabes more than insiders. Consider this: Not only did the house issue a celebrity tip sheet pre-show, but glove- and shoulder-wielding fashion plate Rihanna was also perched front row. She’s in town shopping for the look for her new album cover, and those thigh-high boots would make quite a picture.



















































© by WWD / Photos by Giovanni Giannoni

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