Maison Margiela’s Fall–Winter 2025/2026 haute couture presentation in Paris was a masterclass in theatrical storytelling, weaving together history, artistry, and the brand’s unmistakable avant-garde spirit. The setting alone — a shadowy, timeworn salon with distressed walls and pools of dim, golden light — transported guests into a world where beauty felt ancient, mysterious, and fragile.
Creative director Glenn Martens orchestrated a procession of silhouettes that balanced armor-like structure with ghostly fluidity. Floor-length coats in cracked leather and tapestry jacquards moved alongside billowing gowns in chiffon and tulle, their edges frayed as though pulled from the attic of a grand but forgotten chateau. Each look seemed to carry the weight of a narrative, the clothes whispering stories of past lives.
The color palette was an atmospheric study in muted elegance: deep oxblood, aged gold, and soot black formed the base, while pale lavender, antique cream, and faded rose appeared like fleeting memories. Metallic silver and distressed bronze caught the light in unexpected ways, adding a sense of ritual and pageantry.
Textures were paramount — crushed velvets, worn brocades, hand-stitched lace, and deconstructed knits layered with unexpected materials such as translucent plastics, gilded threads, and shattered mirrors embedded into bodices. Accessories included sculptural headpieces, lace masks, and elaborate gloves, turning models into living installations.
Martens’ use of proportions played a pivotal role. Oversized outerwear enveloped the figure, giving way to corseted waists or draped gowns that trailed behind. The tension between concealment and revelation created a haunting sensuality. Every stitch, fold, and embellishment was deliberate, underscoring couture’s role as wearable art.
This was not a collection designed for fleeting trends — it was a manifesto for fashion as an emotional, intellectual, and tactile experience. Margiela’s heritage of anonymity and deconstruction was respected yet expanded upon, offering a vision that felt both deeply rooted in tradition and boldly forward-looking.
Collection Highlights:
-
Moody Color Palette – Oxblood, soot black, aged gold, and faded rose were contrasted with silver and bronze accents.
-
Rich Textural Layers – Crushed velvet, tapestry brocade, lace, and unconventional embellishments like shattered mirror fragments.
-
Architectural Silhouettes – Oversized coats, cinched waists, and flowing gowns created a dynamic balance of structure and softness.
-
Masked Mystique – Elaborate lace and metallic masks reinforced the house’s tradition of anonymity and artistic focus.
Maison Margiela’s Fall–Winter 2025/2026 show wasn’t just a runway event — it was a sensory immersion into a dreamscape where time bends, memory lingers, and every garment carries the echo of another world.
Report Lela Christine
