heart-pounding

MM6 Maison Margiela FW20
By Sara Semic | Fashion | 17 February 2020

FW20 marked MM6 Maison Margiela’s return to the London schedule, having temporarily relocated to Milan. Always known for doing things a little differently, the subversive diffusion line of Maison Martin Margiela eschewed the traditional runway format this season, opting for a more intimate viewing experience instead. Set in the bunker-like vaults of 180 The Strand, guests were allowed to meander through four interconnected rooms via a labyrinth of dark, narrow corridors as models rushed past to the beat of a pounding custom techno soundtrack, the concrete walls alive with flashing video projections of the models backstage and in the other rooms. 

The season introduced a collaboration with outerwear brand The North Face, marking its first collaboration since its capsule collection with Opening Ceremony for FW11. Marrying The North Face’s technical precision and functionality with MM6’s conceptual, avant-garde approach, the brand put a fresh spin on key garments from The North Face’s Expedition System range: offering up body-swamping padded circle coats that featured an original zipper system enabling them to be lengthened into capes or dresses, and realised in a searingly bright palette of cobalt blue, violet and highlighter orange. Inspired by the house’s logo, the circular concept was stamped across the accessories too, which featured rounded bags, while opera-length alpine mittens were split at the thumb to recreate the maison’s iconic split-toe ‘Tabi’ effect, first launched in 1988.

Other pieces drew on the fearless spirit of New York’s East Village in the 1960s, while the brand’s signature trompe l’oeil featured across slinky satin dresses adorned with ‘zebra’ print – which on closer inspection was in fact made up of shredded reviews from fashion magazines – alongside fringed leather jackets, glittery ribbed lurex rollnecks and square-toed biker boots decorated with heavy silver chains.

GALLERYCatwalk images from MM6 Maison Margiela WFW20





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