Glenn Martens mixed feathered silhouettes with Renaissance bird prints, letting repurposed materials share the spotlight with painterly drama.
At 104, the arts hub in northern Paris where Martin Margiela once staged his own shows, Glenn Martens introduced Maison Margiela Couture 2025, returning to the house’s taste for anonymity and provocation. Models stepped out with faces covered, an archival move that shifts attention from personality to construction.
Trenchcoats cut from clear plastic turned every seam into a pattern-maker’s diagram. Jeans brushed with dense swirls of oil paint felt equal parts garment and studio canvas. Resourcefulness guided the rest: repurposed lining fabrics surfaced on the outside, vintage leather jackets were reworked into fresh shapes, and discarded costume jewelry appeared as unexpected flourishes.
Bird motifs added a delicate touch. Feathered looks rippled through the lineup, while tailored coats printed with Renaissance-style game birds seemed lifted from an antique still life. Utility fabrics set against ornate images highlighted the contrast between daily wear and ceremony.
Maison Margiela built its reputation on shock, yet this show focused on material questions. Transparent coats reconsidered what a layer might reveal, and the feathered pieces asked how far silhouette can stretch without tipping into costume. By the last look, Martens tipped his hat to Margiela’s provocative roots and closed the show with tailoring that shrugged off the conventional.
