Maison Margiela is a prime example of letting your work speak for itself. Since the house’s inception in 1988, Margiela and Co. have remained relatively anonymous. Unlike their counterparts, the brand spends time and money ensuring that garments are long-lasting and impress current fans while drawing in new clientele. 

Streamlined through the eyes of Martin Margiela for years, he would step down from the label without appointing a successor in 2009.  However, the brand has maintained its creative and androgynous design mantras. 

Below you will find a list of five items from Maison Margiela that are necessary to understand what the brand stands for. These pieces, as a collective, represent the human senses. They can be smelled, seen, touched, heard, and tasted to some degree. 

REPLICA FRAGRANCE LINE

Easily one of the most underrated accessories in fashion is your fragrance. As a weapon, your fragrance is often underutilized as a catalyst for evoking emotion. 

Maison Margiela makes it easy to find a fragrance that fits each and every one of your aesthetics with their Replica line of fragrances. Each one is set back in time to a specific time period and location. A few examples of scents within the line are By The Fireplace, Beach Walk and Jazz Club. 

This line of fragrance is no joke! Each one is very reminiscent of their intended target, with some being closer than others. For quick recommendations, try By The Fireplace if you enjoy wood-driven scents that have a tinge of vanilla. If you like sweet summery vibes, take a look at Beach Walk!

TABIS

The Tabi references Japanese worker shoes from the 15th century. They initially began as socks with a split in the toes to promote balance by separating the big toe. After they fell down the economic class landscape, they fell into the hands of workers. Once people realized they could add a sole and produce comfortable working shoes, the change was made.

Margiela now implements the toe split on an array of shoe silhouettes. The most popular iteration is the black leather Tabi boots They tend to be showstopping pieces that are often brought up in conversation. Non Fashion lovers want to know why you have a notch on your toes, and fashion lovers want to know where you got your pair. 

The toe slit can also be found on a multitude of different material uppers on low boots, dress shoes, canvas sneakers, and much more. 

FLAT SLEEVELESS JACKET S/S98

After graduating from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp as an honorary member of the “Antwerp Six,” Margiela knew a thing or two about tailoring. With this garment, Martin took apart a businessman’s suit and put it back together stitch by stitch.

The effect was a flat tailoring fit due to his former inspiration of paper and flat ironed garments. If you’re looking to make a case that Margiela was a tailoring wizard, use the above item as evidence A. 

INCOGNITO SUNGLASSES S/S08

We live in a crazy world where massive sunglasses are our generation’s fashion forte. Take the Rick Owens Gene. Then look at the frat boy six-shooter: Pit Vipers. What they both have in common are massive frames with colored lenses that make everyone look Coachella-ready. 

The Incognito sunglasses from Margiela are seemingly the godfather of these glasses. Modern iterations weren’t born out of them, but they’re ready to help take over if they need to. An exhibition was curated by Alexandre Samson, which included over 400 Margiela garments. These made it in because he was attracted and repelled by them. 

MM11 VINYL TOTE BAG

The MM11 Vinyl tote bag is a must-have accessory from the brand due to its unique material choice and staple Margiela numbered logo. The best iteration of this bag is the clear one which comes with a laptop-sized bag within it. It’s a unique design that is functional in wet environments and fits into Margiela’s clean yet flashy designs. 

Margiela’s garments are often found with three rows of numbers starting from 0 and ending with 23. Each digit represents a collection from the house. Here are the most essential digits: 0 is for artisanal collections for both genders, 1 is a women’s collection, 3 is for fragrances, 10 is a men’s collection, 11 is for accessories, 13 is objects, and 22 is for shoes.