Edgy but polished. The fall MM6 Maison Margiela collection nimbly straddled that divide: sharply defined shoulders coexisting with tattered hems, and a pea coat and biker jacket merged into a cool hybrid.
Clear and tinted protective goggles heightened the sense of surgical cutting applied to tailored jackets and coats, the sleeves hacked off to leave the jutting shoulder pads intact.
Glossy thigh boots, a pounding techno soundtrack and wry slogans on the clothes — like “Not what it is” or “Lost my pet” — fed the rave-like energy.
While the Maison Margiela’s triumphant Artisanal couture show in Paris last month was a pure expression of creative director John Galliano at his theatrical best, the design team at the MM6 brand stayed in the lane of the Belgian founder, right down to the cloth-covered seating cubes, the sheer curtains masking the walls, and the scent of patchouli hanging over the show space.
There were homages to sleek and sexy Margiela in the bodysuits and clinging jersey for women, and offbeat proposals for men, like raincoats in over-dyed denim and turtlenecks stretched to the knees.
Accessories were fun and eye-catching, including loafers developed with Dr. Martens, leather handbags shaped like fortune cookies, and neck pillows encased in leather — perfect for premium economy.
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