Maison Margiela Artisanal 2024
Photo: Margiela
Emotional, inexplicably beautiful art. Galliano stampeded this Spring Summer with what could only be called an exquisite performance- from the glass skin to the moon lit speakeasy, this is one truly one of the most delicate and refreshing shows I have seen this season.
Photo: Margiela
It of course comes to no surprise that theatrics shine with Galliano, and this season saw the perfect fusion of drama and art to immerse us into a 1920s fantasy. The unexpected debut of a male with a teeny, corseted waist pivoted our attention from the live band to the model and from the outset, gasps erupted from the first 5 seconds of the show, something arguably only achieved by a mastermind designer such as Galliano himself. The following ensemble depicted models with wild yet cohesive hair and was the debut of the highly anticipated Pat McGrath and Galliano rekindling which was a truly breath-taking melange of art and fashion at its very peak.
The glass makeup was the perfect pairing with the almost wet looks exhibited on the runway. Taking a risk with the repetition of the wet aesthetic from the Spring Summer 06 Margiela show played in Galliano’s favour and was in fact an elevation this to a whole new realm of fashion. Front row darlings included Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian who’s eyes never diverted from the brilliance in front of them. A sense of fragility and purity arose towards the end of the show and the tale of different 1920’s narratives twisted into a celebration of femininity was again incredibly refreshing from a group known for their storytelling and was a truly immersive tale.
Photo: Pat McGrath
The biggest held secret of the season – what did Pat McGrath use to create a porcelain sheen on the models? Speculations around Kryolan liquid glass being used have been raised yet after a deep dive I have discovered that it is in fact potentially the Freeman’s Peel of Gel Mask Cucumber which was then diluted with water and airbrushed in layers onto the skin and then dried after each layer to create the impeccable iridescent sheen we saw on the runway.
Photo: Pat McGrath
I have not seen this much discourse about makeup since 2007 with the John Galliano Jazz age show, which again was in collaborate with McGrath. This genius duo knows no bounds and we can only pray for another collaboration. Ai is on the rise and to transform an Ai look into a makeup piece reassures that creativity is not lost and instead has been transformed.
Photo: Margiela
This is a new era for Galliano and the presentation of his sheer and deconstructed silhouettes from his days at Dior may still be evident, but a clear elevation is apparent and this collection is a celebration of personal growth and a further venture into the art of storytelling in fashion, perhaps my favourite motif this season.
Photo: Margiela
By Assiya Foukrache
Assiya is on Instagram.