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That’s the ticket. Small, cylindrical and white of course. The astute among us realised it was a torch but not just any torch, no, a torch that revealed the address of the show when you shined it. And so we followed the clues and sat down with justifiably high expectations. The opening looks were all-white and all-black tuxedos with silk tunic tops underneath. Stitched up sleeves on black and camel coats sang the Margiela tune and a block camel coloured velvet trouser suit rounded off the set. Sharp shoulders at right angles in yet more block camels, blacks, greys, clinical whites and a perfect red in powerful silhouettes came next. So far, so tame for a Margiela show. And then came the kooks: deconstructive, concept-wear for the four corner stitch fanatic. High peaked shoulders stretching three inches above normal shoulder height and two different necklines competing for attention, one stuck on top of the other. And just as we started to wonder why we could see so much face, polo necks and jacket collars grew up the chin covering mouth, nose and ears. Hear no evil, speak no evil. Then the tempo changed and a string of tunic dresses emerged, made up of lots of different panels of fabric in conflict with one another; breaking down the components of a dress. Last out were full length pleated skirts with one side lopped off high on the thigh. By home time we knew, there’s no mistaking a Margiela.
Text: Sarah Raphael
Photography: Mitchell Sams
Click here to see our AW12 Womenswear coverage in full.
