THE house of Maison Martin Margiela is one that likes to keep us on our toes - just look at how it became the surprise next collaborator with high street giant H&M. While that collection doesn’t launch until November 15 – and is being kept under tight wraps until then – today we did at least get to see what the fashion house has in store next when it comes to its own main line. And it seems to be a lot sexier than we have seen before – there is, like we saw at Lanvin and Nina Ricci last night, a new mood in the fashion air.

Here it went more grown-up and evening-ready – so there were bandeau topped dresses whose skirts wrapped tightly around the legs of the wearer, but flicked forward around the legs at the back. Shapes were square in cut, but were never quite, a fishtail – this flick forward to frame the legs and point the model in the direction she should be walking in a key factor throughout.

There was a lot of strapless going on here – on bustier tops that accentuated the curve of the bust, on floor-length gowns (yep, gowns), that were as simultaneously stiff as they were flowing. Trousers were tight and high at the waist and featured as part of the many layers of pieces that looked, as is always the case with Margiela, like one thing but turned out to be quite another – trousers with a dress on top, nope all the same thing at work here.

Pockets were of oven-mitten proportions and clearly on display, part of the design – and contributed to the overall sense of restriction. But with this restriction – rigid tunic shapes and gown hybrids – came easy access, so a good few bare backs made an appearance.

In nude, grey, white and black, it was that typical canvas of a thought-provoking palette that allowed you to appreciate shape and form – among them, a series of T-shirt and sweater ballgowns that were at once entirely easy and wearable yet also not quite - in their over-pronounced shapes. These same shapes came later on more eveningwear-style options, all sheer overlays as though the models were in their own cocoon or bubble – which to a certain degree is what Maison Martin Margiela is. But it’s not short of followers that want to be inside it.














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