MAISON MARGIELA FALL 2022

MM6 is very good at delivering conceptual fashion that is surprisingly applicable to daily life. But in normal seasons, those concepts are backed up by tons of history, research and narrative, as well as maybe a couple of obscure muses. Here, for fall 2022, MM6 delivered, simply, clothes. Ahhhhhhh. What a release!

The atelier focused on creating an understated, honorable MM6 wardrobe built for any gender. The brand has re-scaled its sizing to move away from European standards. Instead of being listed as men’s or women’s, it will be one single collection of wan double-breasted blazers with a rope belt, of kick-hem trousers worn over Salomon collab sneakers, and one padded snake top evocative of Britney Spears’s infamous VMA performance. The snake motif continued as gloves and trousers, most poignantly as a print of an ouroboros on a white button-down.

The snake eating itself has traditionally been interpreted as a symbol of cyclicism. Apt for fashion, surely, with its constant gazing back to gaze forward. And even gazing sideways: there was a strange synergy between Only The Brave stable mates Diesel and MM6 both painting models with glitter this season. But the point of this MM6 wardrobe, as its non-spokesperson, totally anonymous mastermind told me post-show, is that these are clothes intended for the person wearing them to bring to life. The garment is activated by the body inside it—without a key the car doesn’t start. A body would be lucky to be ensconced in the label’s roomy taffeta bomber or the pastel-colored versions. Unlike other brands responding to crises, MM6 knew when to cut the crap, offering simple clothes for a complicated time.

Images Courtesy of Maison Margiela.