MAISON Margiela debuted their co-ed SS22 collection via a film presentation based on an original concept by John Galliano and directed by Oliver Dahan. It’s an eerie film that feels like a sequel to the brand’s AW21 presentation.
With record scratch soundtrack changes, veiled faces, ominous backdrops, artificial fog and decrepit props – it’s haunting while simultaneously a celebratory ode to the resilience of youth.
According to the press release, the presentation is a “depiction of the revelries sparked by the collective courage of a new generation, elated by the ageless poetry of William Blake”.
Abrupt soundtrack interruptions mark the swift set changes that happen throughout the film as the poet’s words flash across the screen as transitions to what would otherwise appear to be glitches. It feels all too similar and symbolic for the continual interruptions and restarts that the pandemic has inflicted on social scenes.
Models sport thigh-high rain boots in primary colours with daisy duke denim shorts underneath oversized outerwear with flannel lining. Fishing motifs are saturate the presentation, with rowboat props and fisherman hats that appear to be deconstructed collared button-up shirts.
Galliano even went as far as decorating a coat with mackerel feather fishing bait.
Chunky knitwear and water-resistant overalls with attached boots, otherwise known as waders, have made their way from the docks and to Paris fashion week.
Cardboard crowns, knee-high socks with animal motifs and plaid neckerchiefs accessorise a handful of the looks worn by models desperately trying to get non-existent water out of their inflatable life raft. In another scene, a model stranded on a faux sinking house uses his hooded outerwear to flag down some help. Naturally, the imagery conjures the stress-ridden sentiments and emotions attached to the climate crisis.
The collection tells a clear narrative – a tale of a generation that has been burdened with possibility and responsibility. It’s a tale of anxiety and tireless hope, sinking structures and life rafts. The Maison Margiela SS22 collection materialises this tension through playful garments with frayed edges and oversized silhouettes that can swallow one whole or be used to obtain help.
by Jamison Kent
Images courtesy of Maison Margiela.