Maison Margiela Presents Its New Artisanal Collection 2021

Alchemy is a transformative process that challenges science and time. Driven by human instinct, it aspires to alter the forces of nature. For the 2021 Artisanal co-ed collection, Maison Margiela studies the desires of a new utopian youth connected to the circles of life, time and nature. Creative director John Galliano identifies in the contemporary age of emergence a hankering for security found in generational objects imbued with history: that, which has been weather-beaten, blanched by moonlight, and suffused with soul by the passage of time. Through the grammar of haute couture, the quest is expressed in the alternative notion of neo-alchemy: the search for authenticity through scientific transmutations of shapes and textures of familiar garments, realised through harmonious dialogue with the natural elements.

The collection unfolds in the feature film A Folk Horror Tale, directed by Olivier Dahan and based on an original concept by John Galliano. Underpinned by the powers of time and nature, it is a story of instinct, community, and transformation. Created in symbiosis, the film’s narrative is woven into the collection itself, depicted in motifs in the lining of garments, the embroideries of knits, and the adornments of boots. Every inch of the collection is intricately crafted by hand, exercising painstaking haute couture techniques developed in the Artisanal ateliers. Charging pieces with character and history, these transformative methods are echoed in the alchemistic process that defines the predominant silhouettes, textures and palette of the collection: Essorage, a new Maison Margiela technique wherein familiar garments – often made from vintage or deadstock fabrics – are scaled up eight to twelve times only to be wrung into new shapes through Artisanal size-compressing enzymeand stonewash treatments. In the process, fabrics erode and reveal their true colours. The practice is applied to icons of permanence: Maison Margiela’s Loden overcoat, vintage denim jacket, and t-shirt. Worn and re-worn through time, each garment has been ascribed and re-ascribed to those, who made it their own. Through the technique of decortiqué, these staples appear as new apparitions, cut in the memory of swimwear, bustiers, or their own original form. Similarly, through Anonymity of the Lining cutting, skirts and suits are transformed into new but familiar manifestations using their own lining. The alchemistic processes intensify a reconnection with nature as an ancient representation of peace, a sentiment that resonates in codes native to the maritime and coastal wardrobes. The creed of the utopian youth, this nature-centric instinct is expressed in animal symbols – conveyed in masks and embroideries on underwear – drawing on the anthropomorphosis observed in fables passed down through generations.

Presentation

Directed by Olivier Dahan, A Folk Horror Tale was captured in a Paris Studio using the state-of-the-art frustum camera. The camera employs three-dimensional photorealistic backgrounds which move in real time on LED screens with its field of view, creating an illusory effect that mimics reality. The LED software is derived from video game and realtime technology. A Folk Horror Tale employs backdrops from a 3D image library alongside real landscape imagery that was scanned, and real-time technology for the creation of visual effects. The 18x6.5-metre LED screen is the largest used in France to date. The film’s lighting is informed by the paintings of the Dutch Masters.

Materials

Employing the technique of essorage, the textures of materials transform through enzymeand stonewash treatments. As a result, wools, cottons, Gobelin fabrics and jacquards – often vintage or sourced from deadstock – are infused with traces of time. Garments and accessories adorned with the white Recicla label signify recycled items handpicked from vintage stores by creative director John Galliano. Upcycled into new manifestations, they appear in their original fabrication. Recicla pieces include a gown patchworked from vintage and antique Delft blue fabrics, as well as a series of jeans; a material that also features in Loden coats spliced with denim jackets. Humble lining materials take centre stage in dresses cut with the Anonymity of the Lining technique. Coats and dresses are trimmed with frayed edges in the image of seafoam, nodding at the maritime undercurrent of the collection.

Techniques

Essorage – meaning “to wring out” – denotes a new Maison Margiela technique: garments are created in sizes up to eight to twelve times their regular proportion and decreased through enzyme – and stonewashing until they reach the right dimension. The process brings out a character in the fabric and fit, which evokes a lived-in sensibility traditionally achieved through time. Decortiqué – the cutting technique through which pieces are reduced to their core structure – is employed to evoke the memory of garments within other garments. Anonymity of the Lining – the practice that transforms a garment by using its own lining – appears in skirts cut into dresses. Neoclassical draping features in butter-muslin expressions. Pieces labelled Recicla are vintage garments and accessories transformed into new manifestations. A scroll technique sees the lower parts of coats sliced and rolled up around antique newspapers. Faggoting is used in a hand-embroidered white jumper with blue narrative motifs and the names of their individual embroiderers.

Collaborations

Creative director John Galliano invites three artists to collaborate on pieces in the collection. A blue wool jumper interwoven with antique newspapers through hand-embroidery is created with Celia Pym. A hand-made stained mirror fragment dress with leather lacing is created with Hélène Vitali. Recicla white rubber waders spliced with wooden Tabi clogs have been hand-painted by Anna Sokolova, who created contemporary illustrations in the style of Delft Blue, distorting its classic imagery into motifs that look pretty from afar but reveal a more sinister reality when studied in detail.

Palette

The enzyme- and stonewashing treatments applied to garments throughout the collection determine the palette. Colours informed by the Dutch Renaissance become discoloured as if touched by the forces of nature and time: thunderous, windswept, and maritime. Lavender, peach, sage, light blue and ecru are contrasted by navy, dark greens, greys and black. Delft blue appears in patterns.

Accessories

Artisanal wooden clogs created by traditional craftsmen set the foundation for shoes and boots. The Recicla Tabi Clog Wader splices the properties of the fisherman’s wader, the clog, and Maison Margiela’s split-toed Tabi shoe. Here, sourced waders are treated with several layers of paint, creating an aged and worn texture, before their soles are cut off and the upper manually stapled onto the wooden clog base with a hand-cut Tabi split. The design also appears as a chest wader. Clog Derbies and lace-up Clog Boots are constructed from clog soles and glace calf leather uppers. The Tabi Clog Sandal features a single white glace calf leather strap stapled onto a clog sole with a hand-cut Tabi split. Jewellery has been handmade from broken antique bottles, which have undergone enzyme and sand treatments for translucid look, evoking age-old shipwrecked glass found on beaches. Highly fragile, it is used as embellishments on garments and creating trains where the clinking of bottles creates a tune. The glass pieces further make up crowns with original antique calligraphy inscriptions. A series of crowns and armour sleeves are made in carton as well as masks fashioned in the images of animals, while a transparent mask appears in plexiglass. Finally, the collection features Maison Margiela’s signature handbag, the Glam Slam.

Looks

• Look 1
  

Recicla black wool cassock. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 2
  

Grey stonewashed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 3
  

Peach enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining skirt suit with mint green check back panel and frayed trim. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 4
  

Peach and grey check pleated wool skirt cut into a dress using Anonymity of the Lining. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 5
  

Grey check and ecru enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt cut into a dress with frayed trim. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 6
  

Gobelin motif enzyme- and stonewashed jacket worn with blue stonewashed trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 7
  

Blue stonewashed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 8
  

Blue enzyme- and stonewashed wool cape coat frayed trim worn over a white cotton vest and briefs with animal embroidery. Recicla natural wood and yellow rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 9
  

Light green and light blue enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt suit with frayed trim. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 10
  

Green and light-yellow enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt suit with frayed trim. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 11
  

Dark blue indigo-overdyed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 12
  

Dark blue enzyme- and stonewashed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 13
  

Indigo-dyed wool coat spliced with a light blue cotton waistcoat, rolled up with vintage newspapers, worn with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 14
  

Hand-embroidered faggoted white wool jumper with blue narrative motifs and the names of their individual embroiderers worn with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and white rubber Tabi clog waders featuring hand-painted blue motifs by Anna Sokolova.

• Look 15
  

Striped enzyme- and stonewashed ladies’ jacket, worn inside-out, with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 16
  

Blue and navy stonewashed decortiqué wool coat spliced with light blue cotton waistcoat, rolled up with vintage newspapers, worn with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 17
  

Striped enzyme- and stonewashed ladies’ jacket, worn inside-out, with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 18
  

Striped enzyme- and stonewashed ladies’ jacket, worn inside-out, with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 19
  

Ecru ladies’ jacket worn inside-out. Recicla natural wood and blue rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 20
  

Indigo-dyed wool coat spliced with a light blue cotton waistcoat, rolled up with vintage newspapers, worn with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 21
  

Two navy enzyme- and stonewashed coats spliced together worn with a striped enzyme- and stonewashed ladies’ jacket, worn inside-out, with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 22
  

Two navy enzyme- and stonewashed coats spliced together worn with a striped enzyme- and stonewashed ladies’ jacket, worn inside-out, with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 23
  

Recicla black wool cassock. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 24
  

Dark blue enzyme- and stonewashed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 25
  

Blue degrade enzyme- and stonewashed silk jacquard jacket worn with black stonewashed wool trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 26
  

Navy stonewashed decortiqué twisted Loden wool coat cut into the memory of swimwear. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 27
  

Dark blue indigo-overdyed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 28
  

Dark blue enzyme- and stonewashed wool jacket and trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 29
  

Navy stonewashed decortiqué Loden wool coat cut into the memory of swimwear. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 30
  

Sage enzyme- and stonewashed wool coat with hand-painted and hand-cut beige silk lining, worn inside-out, over a light pink cotton vest and knickers with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 31
  

Green sleeves Loden coat spliced with a Recicla denim jacket and cut into the memory of scarf, worn with a grey check stonewashed wool culottes. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 32
  

Green Loden coat cut with a suspended back, cut into a skirt. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 33
  

Green decortiqué Loden wool twisted cape coat cut into the memory of a swimwear. Natural wood and black leather Tabi clog sandal worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 34
  

Green decortiqué Loden cape coat spliced with a Recicla denim jacket cut into the memory of a bustier. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 35
  

Green decortiqué Loden wool twisted cape coat cut into the memory of a swimwear. Natural wood and black leather Tabi clog sandal worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 36

Green decortiqué Loden wool cape coat cut into the memory of bustier. Natural wood and black leather Tabi clog sandal worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 37
  

Green decortiqué Loden cape coat spliced with a Recicla denim jacket and cut into the memory of a bustier. Natural wood and black leather Tabi clog sandal worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 38
  

Poverino navy wool jumper spliced with a striped cotton shirt worn over a light blue cotton vest and brief with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 39
  

Blue wool jumper with hand-embroidered vintage newspapers in collaboration with Celia Pym, worn over a light pink cotton vest and knickers with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 40
  

Poverino blue wool cardigan with cork buttons spliced with a blue enzyme-washed bandana scarf and a striped light blue cotton shirt, worn over a light pink cotton vest and briefs with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 41
  

Poverina ecru Aran knit jumper spliced with a navy and light blue wool jumper, a blue cotton shirt and a white cotton vest, worn over a white cotton knicker with animal embroidery. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 42
  

White cotton vest and knickers with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 43

Light blue enzyme- and stonewashed wool coat with frayed trim worn over a light pink cotton vest and knickers with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 44
  

Sage enzyme- and stonewashed wool coat with hand-painted and hand-cut beige silk lining, worn over a light pink cotton vest and knickers with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 45
  

Grey enzyme- and stonewashed wool coat with light yellow deboré lining, worn inside-out, over a light blue cotton vest and knickers with animal hand-embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 46
  

Beige enzyme- and stonewashed decortiqué wool coat with frayed trim cut into the memory of a halter-neck dress worn over a light pink cotton vest and briefs with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 47
  

Two gobelin enzyme- and stonewashed coats spliced together, worn over a light blue vest and briefs with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 48
  

Two floral enzyme- and stonewashed silk jacquard coats spliced together, worn over a light blue cotton vest and briefs with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 49
  

Ecru butter-muslin draped expression worn over Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 50
  

Lavender enzyme- and stonewashed wool coat with pink silk lining worn inside-out, over a white cotton vest and briefs with animal embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 51
  

Beige enzyme- and stonewashed wool coat with a hand-painted figure on the back, worn over a light blue cotton vest and knickers with animal hand-embroideries. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks with animal hand-embroideries.

• Look 52
  

Ecru butter-muslin draped expression worn over an ecru fisherman’s knitted wool jumper with animal embroidery and Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 53
  

Ecru butter-muslin draped expression worn over Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 54
  

Hand-made stained mirror fragment dress with leather lacing created in collaboration with Hélène Vitali worn over Recicla denim trousers and a white cotton vest. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 55
  

Champagne-coloured embroidered duchesse silk dress with silk lining recut into a dress using Anonymity of the Lining. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders. Carton armour sleeve worn over a silver sequined skirts with pink lining cut into a dress using Anonymity of the Lining. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 56
  

Silver sequinned armour sleeve worn over a light pink check and pink enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt cut into a dress with frayed trim. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders. Champagne-coloured embroidered duchesse silk dress with silk lining recut into a dress using Anonymity of the Lining. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 57
  

Brown herringbone tweed coat with overdyed check wool lining discharged with floral motif, cut with fabric fringing, worn with matching culottes. Recicnal natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 58
  

Grey check decortiqué stonewashed twisted wool coat with frayed trim cut into the memory of swimwear, worn over a ecru fisherman’s knitted wool jumper with animal hand-embroidery and Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and black rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 59
  

Hand-embroidered faggoted white wool jumper with blue narrative motifs and the names of their individual embroiderers worn with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and yellow rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 60
  

Purple check overdyed wool cape with enzyme-discharged animal motifs, worn over hand-embroidered faggoted white wool jumper with blue narrative motifs and the names of their individual embroiderers worn with Recicla denim trousers. Recicla natural wood and yellow rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 61

Blue degrade enzyme- and stonewashed silk jacquard jacket worn with black stonewashed wool trousers. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 62
  

White tiered lace gown patchworked with blue pattern vintage fabrics underpinned by a cotton petticoat dress, worn over white cotton knickers. Recicla natural wood and yellow rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 63
  

Peach and grey check pleated wool skirt cut into a dress using Anonymity of the Lining with hand-embroidered bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 64
  

Light yellow-green check and peach enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool jacket with matching decortiqué culottes with frayed trim and hand-embroidered bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 65
  

Green and light-yellow enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt suit with frayed trim and hand-embroidered bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 66
  

Light green and light blue enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt suit with frayed trim and hand-embroidered bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 67
  

Grey check and ecru enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining wool skirt cut into a dress with frayed trim. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.

• Look 68
  

Dark blue indigo-overdyed wool jacket and trousers, both hand-embroidered with bottle embellishments. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 69
  

Blue stonewashed wool coat with frayed trim and hand-embroidered bottle embellishment. Recicla natural wood and red rubber Tabi clog waders.

• Look 70
  

Blue stonewashed wool jacket and trousers, both hand-embroidered with bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 71
  

Dark blue enzyme- and stonewashed wool jacket and trousers, both hand-embroidered with bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 72
  

Grey stonewashed wool jacket and trousers, both hand-embroidered with bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 73
  

Gobelin-motif enzyme- and stonewashed jacket worn with blue stonewashed trousers, both hand-embroidered with bottle embellishments. Black leather and natural wood clog boots.

• Look 74
  

Peach enzyme- and stonewashed Anonymity of the Lining skirt suit with mint green check back panel, frayed trim and hand-embroidered bottle embellishment. Black leather and natural wood derby clogs worn with ecru wool socks.