The MM6 show was held in the waiting room of Milan’s central station. As the fashionable crowd made their way up the marble steps, the travelers spaced out. In their turbans and eye shields, these crews weren’t heading home to the suburbs on a late train. Still, the brand was a fitting venue for Margiela’s most street-ready side, especially as the collective in the design studio delved deeply into the archetypes and everyday wear they wore.
In the style of Martin Margiela, the practice here was to make the ordinary extraordinary. Coat hams were twisted and broken in place to protect them from bike splashes and other mundane hazards. Pencil skirts were actually just backless aprons worn over long T-shirts for modesty’s sake, and the shirt’s seams hinted at the gambling scars they once had. Jeans, most present in everyday wear, got a lot of play. On boys, they came with double waistbands, with the top layer clearly omitted. Girls wore high-waisted and pegged 1980s styles.
The ’80s were apparently a flashpoint, especially for full skirts paired with flannel button-downs and a mohair turtleneck, among other things. Oversized sweaters with the brand’s numerical logo on the chest looked more contemporary when worn with thick tights. Also reliable: his and her color-blocked track jacket and anorak. For the corporate demographic, there were trim v-necks worn over flared shirts with slim skirts or sturdy leather jeans.
If there was a misstep, it was the extra high pump. Any close look on the street, even by the standards of Milan, another world capital in terms of apparel, will tell you that the favorite shoes of the moment prioritize comfort and/or speed. These days, such heels are usually kept in a large bag or under an office desk. Otherwise, though, you can basically picture one of these models peeling off after finals, scaling the stairs, and disappearing into the Italian night.
