The designer Martin Margiela is known for his radical fashion designs. His silhouettes are often times challenging and the clothes a little difficult to understand because he likes to develop concepts and introduce new ways of seeing and wearing clothing. When he was still the head of his namesake label (a position he relinquished in 2009), Margiela presented clothes on the runway that looked like they were still in the creation process—part dress form, part pattern paper; he enlarged doll dresses for human consumption; he spun gloves into sweaters and skirts; he challenged the eye with trompe l'eoil effects.
All these reasons and more had many scratching their heads and holding on to their Birkin bags for dear life when Margiela was appointed as the designer of Hermès in 1997. An avant garde designer in a French house that is the pinnacle of impeccable, refined and classic taste was worrisome. This was compounded by the fact that Margiela was largely anonymous (still is), having refused interviews and photographs of him to be taken - this during the golden age of Tom Ford at Gucci and John Galliano at Dior.
But within the forward designs of Margiela were the designer's commitment to innovation and a deft hand at tailoring. Talent and skills he would bring to Hermès.
From 1997-2003, Margiela explored ways to make his avant garde aesthetic cross over to the polished and luxurious world of Hermès. He took ideas from his eponymous collections and reworked them into silhouettes that would not alienate the legions of Kelly-toting Hermès loyalists and to also attract a new following.
He introduced the tunic with a deep-V neck line called the vareuse, which he often paired with a knitted sweater. The deep-V would also make its way onto blazers and coats. He created a jacket that can be rolled and carried like a bag. He made coats whose collars and fastenings can be removed should the wearer want a different look. He invented what has now become one of the bestsellers from the Hermès' scarf collection - the losange, a diamond shaped scarf. He created the twice looping strap (double tour) of the Cape Cod watch - now an iconic symbol of the house. And just as iconic although subtler is the introduction of buttons with six holes so that they can be sewn on ready to wear collections sporting the letter H.
All these contributions made by Margiela to the French house are richly detailed and illustrated in the book Margiela: The Hermès Years, which is an accompaniment to a recently concluded exhibition of the same title at the Antwerp Fashion Museum. The book juxtaposes the designers signature collections with his designs for Hermès. There are also interviews and insights from fashion insiders and experts as well as from members of the Hermès family. Margiela, ever true to his anonymous ways, was not interviewed for the book. However, it carries his stamp of approval very much like his fashion designs.
