By Marcus Falcão
Staff Writer
Maison Margiela recently had their Spring/Summer 2024 Couture show at the historic Pont Alexandre III, Paris, and it has garnered a lot of attention for all of the right reasons.
John Galliano is the creative director of the luxury fashion house Maison Margiela. He is a legendary designer, known for his work in Givenchy and Dior from the 1990s to the 2010s.
Since Galliano took over Maison Margiela in 2014 he has added his signature style of high drama and theatrics into the brand that has stolen the attention of the fashion world. Beyond his timeless and experimental designs, Galliano is known for putting on a show.
The Margiela Co-Ed Spring/Summer 2024 collection last October already went viral for the dramatic model walk and designs. Model Colin Jones was particularly noticed for her intense swaying stride.
Although I enjoyed that collection, I would say the designs were relatively subdued, especially knowing what Galliano is capable of. However, this Spring 2024 Couture collection shows Galliano going back to his roots, and I am here for it.
This collection had many standouts - my favorite of which being the classic Galliano dramatic silhouettes. The models look like paper doll cutouts as they walk with tight cinched corsets, heavy padding, and voluminous hair.
The show also pairs fine leatherwork and thick earth toned fabrics with vibrant and colorful see-through tulle. Galliano is a master of color and cleverly pairs completely black designs with full saturation pink, green, and blue outfits, all while creating a cohesive collection.
Robert Mercier, known for his exquisite fashion leatherwork, helped with the accessories of the show. He was able to create to chestplates that look exactly like porcelain despite being made of leather, which he described as taking months to research.
The iconic Margiela tabi boots also made an appearance at this show, though this time they were designed in a way to look like an animal leg.
One of the common comments people make about the tabis is that they look like hooves with their split at the hallux. Could this design be playing off of this observation? While playful, the fur boots paired wonderfully with the black top-stitched jackets and dresses.
The entire show, from the atmosphere, to the looks, the music, and the theatrical performance of the models, all created a fantasy-like world that transported the viewer into Galliano’s fashion doll house. The one detail that especially sold this was the makeup.
The makeup of this show, done by the legendary Pat McGrath. The makeup has almost gotten more attention than the show itself, a common occurrence with Galliano’s runways.
McGrath created an uncanny porcelain effect on the face of the models that has mystified viewers as to how she achieved such an otherworldly look.
Many believe she used liquid glass for the shiny effect, a cosmetic product similar to liquid latex. This glass effect, paired with the colorful Victorian-style makeup created a more modern twist on Galliano’s iconic fashion makeup style.
This new show has some questioning if Galliano is partaking in a new golden age of couture. I would not go that far, but I would certainly say that this show is a stunning collection that adds to the other phenomenal couture shows we have seen so far in 2024.
The Spring 2024 Couture season has seen many amazing collections from Robert Wun, Schiaparelli, Alaïa, and many more, highlighting that Spring 2024 Couture will be known for its historic shows.
Margiela especially had next level designs, which is why it was my favorite. This collection will go down in history and further adds to Galliano’s long list of iconic runways.
This collection has left me excited for the next Margiela collection and shows that Galliano is not done with fashion, with much more in store for the future.