As a label, the MMM cleverly sought to decode and subvert the logic of the fashion establishment. However, their work was never anti-fashion; fashion and its industry are clearly always the central reference point and obsession, and the position of the house within the fashion world has long since been firmly established.
“We work in a business with financial objectives and planning,” states the Maison Martin Margiela in a voice of singular plurality, “and if you disagree with this, then you are in the wrong business. This is part of what differentiates what we do from what Artists do: fashion is a craft, a technical know-how. We present our work according to specific planning, using the same medium, respecting the same human form, within an industrial framework, using industrial means of production and having our work proposed through a defined chain of distribution.”
This is what is so brilliant about the house, and what one realizes as they study the body of work. A deep respect for tailoring in fact becomes a complete obsession. The craft and technique are dissected and reinforced such, such that often takes over the garment as the central objective and aesthetic. This is most deliberately achieved with the artisanale collection, which is presented during Paris couture week. Here the value of the garment is based on the amount of time the garment took to make, and not necessarily the value of the materials: a fur jacket made of blond wigs, 52 hours; a jacket constructed of compressed press publications and cello tape, 29 hours; a fox stole assembled using party paper balls and a complex weaving technique, 55 hours.
The idea of creative ownership is undermined by the replica collection, in which already existing garments will be reproduced by the house, with a special label stating their origin and date. The standard timeline of fashion, in which entirely new collections are produced each season, is often disregarded as certain styles and garments will appear over several seasons. The cult of personality is swerved by the public absence of Martin Margiela in the public eye, the masking of models on several occasions, and the standard lab coat worn by the entire MMM team. The innovations are numerous and are the result of a rigorous engagement in the systems in which they participate. While critics might wonder if it is really fashionable, proponents could rightly argue that it is uber-fashion.
“When I went back to the maison to prepare this exhibition I went through the archives of 20 years work, “explains Verhelst. “It was a very emotional moment, reviewing all of the photos, letters, and notes we wrote each other. In the beginning there were so few of us and it was very close. Now the team in Paris consists of 71 people of 16 nationalities! But it has really kept the spirit of teamwork. It’s fascinating to see how the language has moved on but still is loyal to their philosophy from the past. For me the MMM is as fresh and revolutionary as it was then.”
The Maison echoes Verhelst’s sentiment: “It is probably that our visual language and design philosophy hasn’t changed much that makes us a true maverick of Fashion in a way. We know who we are and what we want to say. The means has evolved though, whether technically, financially, or human. But the way we perceive fashion and the reasons why we do this are the same and that’s what really matters.”
Verhelst conveys the essence of the label brilliantly with the exhibition, which is not organized chronologically but by groups of concepts and themes that are integral to the innovations of the house. One is able to wander freely throughout the different zones, which are divided by trompe-l’oeil walls that mimic the structure of the museum, and engage in the material in an open manner. Actual garments and accessories are shown alongside photos, objects, videos, and written supplements in a manner that elevates the exhibition beyond the category of rEtrospective.
All photography by Susan Connie Marsh.
