LEAVE it to enfant terrible John Galliano to steer the complete opposite direction, after couture-weeks of focusing on technology and connectivity, Maison Margiela explores a technology-free world with their AW19 collection.
His Ready-To-Wear collection couldn’t be more different from the couture looks that came colour-blazing down the runway earlier this month. This significantly darker AW19 collection, confirms that no Margiela show is the same.
Featuring the French label’s signature deconstruction and reconstruction looks, we saw oversized – where didn’t we? – thick fabric coats, detailed with faux leather and chiffon inserts.
Much like the inspiration, the looks were rather toned down, almost wearable. With a parade of double-breasted coats, detailed with contrasting sleeves, creaing a rather oval shape and in doing so crafting a new silhouette.
A particular coat that grabbed our attention, was a white puffa, covered in a mesh black fabrics, neatly cinched in at the waist. This momentum of exquisite elegance continues with a grey two-piece, complete with asymmetric sleeves and accessorised with a bright turquoise puffer-bag. Galliano pushed the creative barriers not through colour, yet through the silhouette. After introducing wavy and rectangular dresses, a model came down the runway in a woolen-coat that had taken the shape of a jumpsuit.
Splashes of colour were reintroduced, starting small with a fuzzy blue leopard hem-insert yet becoming increasingly more unapologetic, leading us to our favorite look of the evening simultaneously having the biggest signature Margiela-level. Psychedelic-printed leggings and matching shoes were covered up by what looked like a duvet and finished off with a white painted hair, a look we must say we hope to see featured in editorials, as this must be stylist-favorite, bringing back the avant-garde we know and love.
For his grand finale, we saw more deconstructed looks and rather oversized stitching on display, arms were once again tucked back – as seen in the couture show – yet this time in a lovely faux leather sharply collared top, further epitomising his new signature silhouette for AW19 – the Egg-coat.
While the rest of the fashion industry is recreating Divali-like colour spectacles, Margiela stuns with refreshing silhouettes, as always one step ahead of the rest.
by Lupe Baeyens