In the recent issue of WWD, there's a short feature that explores the influential nature of Maison Margiela and its enigmatic founder Martin Margiela in particular. Designer pedigree can be wildly interesting. The idea of a designer rising through the ranks at a certain brand immediately broadcasts their talent, so why would you not pay attention to someone who has worked at Margiela? These chosen few dish on what it was like on the inside with the man himself, without giving away too much of that lauded Margiela secrecy, of course. Among the alumni WWD spoke to were Sebastian Meunier of Ann Demeuelemeester, Demna Gvasalia, leader of up-and-coming label Vetements, and Agnès Barret, who worked as Margiela's collection director, recruiting designers for its many numbered verticals.
Barret recounts his method of design and delegation: "Martin was like an artist who provided the outline sketch and asked everyone to contribute their vision to make it a masterpiece—something which is undoubtedly a very rare quality among designers of his level."
Paul Helbers, who worked with Marc Jacobs at Louis Vuitton, mentions how important it was for the designers to want to wear something: "You focus a lot on the clothes and how it’s made, and even the question, 'Would I wear this?'" Meunier likens the house to a school: "Very studious, very quiet and concentrated." Gvasalia talks about the meticulous construction principles: "We had to open up the garments and play with them to achieve the new result."
Of course, there's a ton of mystery still surrounding the house. No one is about to spill the beans on one of the most influential labels in fashion today lest their head is about to be mounted on an OTB spike. But imagining a time where everyone was in a white lab coat, working away silently at their desks as Martin roamed the up and down the rows is something I do enjoy immensely.
