Maison Margiela and Gentle Monster are continuing their creative partnership, unveiling a fourth eyewear collection that pushes the boundaries of traditional frame design. Bringing together the French fashion house's experimental approach and the South Korean eyewear brand's futuristic aesthetic, the latest release explores unconventional shapes, exaggerated proportions and the idea of deconstruction.
Spanning 68 designs, including 43 sunglasses and 25 optical frames, the collection takes familiar eyewear silhouettes and transforms them into something altogether more sculptural. Oversized frames dominate much of the offering, with bold, protective shapes designed to cover larger portions of the face, while slimmer styles introduce sharply angled profiles and leather-covered finishes that sit closely against the skin.
Maison Margiela's signature four white stitches appear throughout the collection, providing a recognisable link to the house's design identity. On selected frames, the detailing has been reworked to create the illusion of stitching suspended around the edges, adding another unexpected element to the collaboration.
To introduce the collection, the two brands have enlisted filmmaker and photographer Alex Prager to direct an accompanying campaign film. Built around a ten-minute countdown, the short follows a central character through an increasingly unpredictable urban environment, reflecting the collection's interest in distortion and shifting perspectives.
The launch will also extend beyond the eyewear itself, with a series of immersive installations planned across eight cities, including Seoul, Tokyo, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne and Paris. Each space will incorporate unfinished architectural elements and irregular structures, translating the collection's design language into a physical environment.
In Seoul, the collaboration will be celebrated with a special live performance developed by choreographer Damien Jalet and artist Ian McMahon, exploring themes of transformation and reconstruction through movement.
The fourth Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster collection will launch on October 29, 2026, with the eyewear available alongside the opening of the international pop-up spaces.
