Martin Margiela

Martin Margiela is one of the few designers who has a very defined aesthetic, you can easily tell when is a Margiela look and when is not - no matter how casual or ordinary it might seem at first. But his pieces do not always exude the Margiela style when worn separately. And that’s not exactly bad. Therefore I thought it would be good to write about one exclusive item of his latest menswear collection, and for such task I’ve chosen the green pants.

Over the last couple of seasons, we have seen colorful pants - specially in the women selection. And green has been one of the most used colors, but most of the times these colorful pants were jeans. I cannot recall seeing a candid colorful pant like the ones I’m talking about that wasn’t made of denim.

On his new collection, Martin Margiela includes a extremely nice pair of green cotton pants which seem perfectly appropriate for his style. You would think that they would serve as a complementary item, but it’s the other way around. It’s what you wear when using it, that complements the green pants. Instead of being just a nice looking item, they are the nucleus of an outfit.

The other great thing of these pants is that they are very easy to pull off. Meaning that you can look different and original without feeling nervous or wearing something that actually does not fit you. I strongly believe that these pants should be an essential item in any men’s wardrobe. They will boost your self-confidence, they will make you look good, and you will be wearing Margiela.

Haute Couture for mens technically does not exist. It’s a common mistake people tend to make when referring to handmade garments for men. Nevertheless, our good old friend Martin Margiela is aspiring to somehow change this. By changing “haute couture” for “Artisanal “, Margiela personally constructed a set of jackets which constitute the male equivalent of haute couture.

They are all hand made and present a magnificently peruse of detailing - sometimes too much. Although I happened to find these jackets terribly hideous, I must admit that they are technically brilliant. The heavy work done with leather is absolutely splendid; it’s such a hard fabric to work with, yet he managed to produce fine soft leather “chains” which are displayed on the front side of the jackets. Moreover, the “fugly” vest is made out three different leathers. It’s a great example of the “deconstruction” movement in which one item is made out of different pieces - Junya Watanabe, great exhibitor of such art.

The signature item of his spring line was also present on the small runway event held among “real” haute couture shows. A version of the trapezoid jacket made its way onto to the runway dressed in black and we few details. Surprising as it seems, it is far worst than the jackets on Margiela’s menswear line. No matter how much sweat and tears he might have put into making it, the jacket looks rotten.

Despite the terrible aesthetic of the show, some credit should be given to Martin Margiela just for the fact that it is the first time menswear pieces are shown next haute couture gowns - and more shockingly, but a designer who is not a member of the “couture” elite.

Martin Margiela is a simple man, or at least he is not thirsty for media galore; no over the top elaborations, no harsh remarks against others, and a subtle taste for mix and match.

Many respond when asked, that they designwearable pieces that they would love to wear, so basically they establish that the basis for their line is what they would like to wear, but not too many actually play it that way. Things are different with Martin Margiela; you don't have to be a fashion whiz to figure out that what he does is portraying his fantasy wardrobe. Every single item he includes on any given line is something that he would actually wear. His entire persona is a representation of his creations.

Varying from time to time, Margiela plays with shapes, textures and colors, keeping his artistic judgment active and fresh. It is not rare to find a 3k leather jacket lying right next to a basic v-neck or a preppy looking sweater - from minimalist to contemporary baroque elaborations his many collection are full of surprises.

This summer, you'll need something paired up with your skinny jeans - yes, you'll need to hold on the sweat - and because you always want to give a nice elegant summer touch to your outfit, a pair of white pair of lace-ups just like these are a total must. They're an essential item to invest in, not only because they super comfortable, but because you can wear them with almost anything.