What's That Jacket, Margiela? Review of New Martin Margiela Documentary
WDCB’s Gary Zidek reviews the new documentary, MARTIN MARGIELA: IN HIS OWN WORDS.
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A new documentary about acclaimed Belgian fashion designer Martin Margiela take a familiar biographical approach to a point. But Reiner Holzemer’s MARTIN MARGIELA: IN HIS OWN WORDS offers a bit of a twist on the traditional biopic. There are more than a few interesting aspects of Martin Margiela’s story, but the most fascinating detail is that the ultra-successful designer refused to speak to reporters or be photographed by the media for the entirety of his career. In an industry that often relies on public relationships, Margiela kept a low profile, consistently putting the focus on his designs. His reluctance to show his face ended up perpetuating a mystique that made people even more curious about him, which perhaps was by design.
Inside Margiela’s workroom
Margiela does make himself available for an interview in this documentary, and he doesn’t disappoint. He shares insights into his childhood, his skyrocketing ascent in the 1980’s and his thought process behind some of his most iconic designs. On the flip-side he doesn’t share much about his personal life. And if you were hoping to catch a glimpse of the secretive designer, you will be disappointed. Margiela remains unseen, except for his hands, for all 90 minutes of the documentary.
Mannequins wearing Margiela designs
Margiela’s refusal to compromise on certain ideas may have hurt the bottom line of his label and in 2002 Maison Martin Margiela was acquired by a fashion conglomerate. That deal provided some much needed capital, but also changed the culture of the once fiercely independent label. One of my lone criticisms of IN HIS OWN WORDS is that I wish there was more context for this time period that eventually led Margiela to leave his own label in 2009.
The brand still exists today as Maison Margiela. There was definitely some tension once the OTB Group gets involved and by the end its clear that Margiela wasn’t ready to leave yet. I would’ve liked to hear more about the back and forth between the two sides. The best parts of the documentary are watching the archived videos of some of Margiela’s now iconic runway shows where he often tried things that have never been attempted before at a fashion event. There’s also some great clips of the man himself describing his process for creating a particular garment.
An image from Martin Margiela: In His Own Words
