Revisit Martin Margiela’s Forgotten Years as Creative Director of Hermès
When you think of the Martin Margiela, the words ‘classic’ and ‘traditional’ don’t necessarily come to mind. Rather, the reclusive fashion designer and artist made a career deconstructing traditional fashion and putting it back together again in new and unexpected ways under his label, Maison Martin Margiela. It is for this reason that his six years as creative director at the classic French house Hèrmes from 1997 to 2003 often go overlooked, simply because they seem so out of character. But the garments Margiela created during his time there possess such complex juxtapositions that they might, in fact, reveal more about his mind as a creator than some of the works under his own name. “This was fashion’s arch-radical, facing off the noble French house,” writes Suzy Menkes in the introduction of a new book published by Lannoo titled, Margiela, the Hermès Years. She then goes on to describe the works as being “Hospital-coat white meets sunset orange.” The book is in conjunction with an exhibition of the same name at the Mode Museum in Antwerp, which includes archival images and garments and runs until August 27, 2017.
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Hermès Fall 2001 cashmere pantsuit with collarless jacket worn over a high-neck pullover in cashmere and silk with a Losange scarf in silk twill crêpe.
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Hermès Fall 2003 coat with lapel collar in wool, cashmere and camel hair, with removable sleeves of a sweater that can be worn as a hooded scarf, and high-neck pullover, both in cashmere and silk.
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Hermès Spring 2004 wraparound skirt with two splits, in double-sided silk crêpe, showing alternately the front of the right leg and the back of the left leg as the wearer walks.
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Hermès Fall 2002, the Initial handbag.
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Hermes Fall 2003 long open-back dress with long skirt and tuxedo belt, all in Ottoman silk, pumps in suede.
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Hermès Fall 2003 detail of a top with kimono sleeves in lambskin, high- neck pullover in cashmere and silk, high-waisted pants in wool and belt in leather.
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Hermès Fall 2000 ‘Les Transformables’ jacket.
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Hermès Spring 1999 Cardigan in double-faced crêpe, collarless shirt in Oxford, pants in crêpe and Étrivière’ belt in bridle leather.
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HERMÈS, Autumn-Winter 2003-04, twinset with batwing sleeves in horizontal ribbing in cashmere and alpaca wool.
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Maison Martin Margiela Spring 2009.
