Maison Martin Margiela,
A/W 2001-02 Artisanal Denim Jeans
As Martin Margiela quoted; ‘For us our ‘artisanal production’ (for men and women's garments they may be identified by the 0 (zero) encircled on their label), as we have said here, we rework existing garments, fabrics and objects to recreate new garments and accessories. We first adopted this approach for our inaugural collection for Spring/Summer 1989 and it has been an integral and important element of each and every one of our collections since’.
Margiela and the team ruthlessly searched through Parisian flea markets to find vintage garments looking forward to giving them purpose, reworking existing garments, fabrics and objects to recreate new garments and accessories.
Here we have a fine example from the early men's artisanal work, using a collection of vintage sourced grey denim. Re-working them into a pair which includes constrasting patches on the knee, back centre and cleverly placed “pockets” which uses the Trompe Loeil effect.
No size tag.
Waist: 42cm
Rise: 27cm
Inseam: 32cm
Leg opening: 20cm
For his A/W 03 collection, Helmut presented a masterpiece to the world, containing a plethora of references that were intertwined alongside his strong references and craftsmanship. Honing in on the military details paying homage to items such as aviator pressure suits and pilot uniforms. This collection paved the way for many to follow due to its distinct nature but strong cohesiveness.
Here we have an incredible example from the collection, an iconic aviator suit reinterpreted into military leg chaps. Featuring a wide range of 1/1 military detailing such as lacing throughout, zips running down each leg, a waistband containing a small zipped pocket and cutout detailing which creates a unique contrast over any surface.
Stefan Cooke, S/S 2021 Cotton Jersey Long Sleeve with Large Star Print
Graduating in February 2017, Cooke was a joint recipient of the highly coveted L’Oréal Professional Creative Award. The label began in the same year and quickly took the attention of the London crowd, getting well-renowned stockists early on, to then reach overseas soon after. Focusing on menswear silhouettes, inspired by traditional British clothing and finding beauty in the mundane, much like menswear the work of the late Martin Margiela, using Trompe L'oeil effects and creating bold menswear staple pieces.
The magic of Stefan and Jakes work sweetly strips the underlying brutality from British masculine clothing traditions. Jake expanded on this by explaining more about the imprint on the brass buttons they’ve had made for the tailoring: “It’s a hunting button, but the emblem on it is this little girl foraging. We liked the idea of taking a hunting button and turning it into something innocent—a different value from hunting. Hunting’s values are gross". The SS21 show included nuances leaning towards old school sports memorabilia, using a leather head guard and padded Alice band.
Constructed out of white woven stretch cotton which has been overprinted after construction with black ink and a star-shaped pattern, allowing the white to show through. This technique leaves the garment showing signs of fading comparable to vintage garments and will only increase further with wear. The overall fit is extremely cropped and slim to the body, with long sleeves to finish.
Maison Martin Margiela,
A/W 2001 Artisanal Military Long-sleeve
As Martin Margiela quoted; ‘For us our ‘artisanal production’ (for men and women's garments they may be identified by the 0 (zero) encircled on their label), as we have said here, we rework existing garments, fabrics and objects to recreate new garments and accessories. We first adopted this approach for our inaugural collection for Spring/Summer 1989 and it has been an integral and important element of each and every one of our collections since’.
Margiela and the team ruthlessly searched through Parisian flea markets to find vintage garments looking forward to giving them purpose, reworking existing garments, fabrics and objects to recreate new garments and accessories.
Here we have a fine example from the early men's artisanal work, constructed out of a vintage military garment rendered into a long-sleeve. The piece features a boxy shape in the body with shorter arms and panelling around the elbow whereby the sleeve slims down into a skinny fit. Contrasting epaulettes are seen on each shoulder and a wide neck reminiscent of french military garments features with a ribbed hem. Made in France.
Maison Martin Margiela, S/S 2003 Anatomical Flight Trousers
Crafted from oiled cotton, in a off white beige colour. These trousers feature an anatomical waist construction, similar to the classic McQueen cut. Each pair is subject to unique wear over time as the oil reacts with the wearer. Further details include ankle side zips to adjust the fit and button popper flap pockets down each seam, taking inspiration from vintage military flight trousers. Lastly, a singular back pocket is placed on the right side and a button/hook closure closes each pair off. Made in France.
