Maison Margiela is celebrating two decades at its Tokyo Ebisu flagship with a new art installation, limited-edition publication and a series of creative collaborations paying tribute to the Japanese neighbourhood that has become an important part of the house's history.
Located at 2-8-13 Ebisu-Minami, the store has occupied a former electronics factory since 2006, having originally opened in a traditional Japanese house nearby. To mark the anniversary, the French fashion house has transformed the space into a celebration of craftsmanship, cultural exchange and its longstanding relationship with Tokyo.
Central to the occasion is 'Unravelled Memory, Rewoven Future', an installation developed through Maison Margiela's Line 2 initiative, which brings together creatives from different disciplines. For its latest chapter, the house has partnered with Tokyo-based textile artist Mio Suzuki and historic French tapestry institution Les Manufactures Nationales – Sèvres & Mobilier National.
The project sees Suzuki reinterpret 59 antique and contemporary tapestries, some dating back as far as 400 years. Selected in France and transported to Japan, the textiles underwent a three-month process of careful deconstruction and reconstruction, with the artist unravelling and reweaving their original compositions into entirely new works.
Installed throughout the Ebisu store, the resulting pieces explore the relationship between history, material and transformation. The collaboration also reflects Maison Margiela's longstanding experimentation with textiles, including its exploration of tapestry in the 1990s and its more recent Artisanal 2025 and Fall/Winter 2026 collections.
Alongside the installation, the house has released a limited-edition zine as part of its ongoing 'MaisonMargiela/folders' research and documentation project. The publication explores the store's history through archival material, personal accounts and contributions from figures connected to the local creative community.
Among those featured are Japanese artist Noritaka Tatehana and collector and Tabi restorer Kozue Akimoto, while photographer Takashi Homma was commissioned to document the surrounding neighbourhood. Manga artist Takehito Moriizumi has also created an original Maison Margiela Tokyo manga inspired by the building's industrial past.
The anniversary celebrations extended into an intimate gathering at the store, bringing together figures from fashion, film, architecture and contemporary art. Guests included Tao Okamoto, Non, Yuka Itaya, Noritaka Hamao and artist Kotao Tomosawa, alongside architects Kengo Kuma and Shohei Shigematsu. Music was provided by Wataru Fukuyama, the vinyl DJ and owner of Ebisu listening bar Bar Martha.
The evening also offered guests an early look at the installation, with attendees dressed in pieces from Maison Margiela's Fall/Winter 2026 collection.
Through the project, Maison Margiela continues to explore the creative possibilities of revisiting existing materials and histories, connecting its experimental design philosophy with the artistic traditions of Japan and France.
'Unravelled Memory, Rewoven Future' is open to the public at Maison Margiela Tokyo Ebisu from November 5 to 15, while the accompanying anniversary publication was distributed locally on November 5 and is available digitally through the house's website.
