Anonymity

Abigail Corbett reflects on the anonymity of Maison Martin Margiela.

We are all intrigued by the cult of the unknown. It is human nature to investigate, be curious and yearn to know more. In the domain of fashion intrigue Maison Martin Margiela is undoubtly the leader of the pack; through anonymity the house has cultivated a myth and mystique, which is a rare acceptance in the fashion system.

I myself am curious for what I don’t know and what I cannot know. The air of mystery acts as a gravitational pull, drawing in the inquisitive individuals who are determined and intrigued to find out more. This is the charm of Maison Martin Margiela: no matter how much you know, you will never fully know it all. We are presented with pieces of the Margiela puzzle, although the head designer, the figurehead fragment, has been undiscovered for some time.

Yet we still follow Maison Martin Margiela, with the same respect and praise that many follow religion, without questioning. Those who are cult fans and fanatic followers of the label feel they know Margiela somewhat personally, without ever seeing him, without ever having spoken to him. With his rumoured departure, it is apparent we never will. He has become, in a sense, an otherworldly figure, which leads us to the question: does he even exist at all?

The fact that he has assigned himself a ‘secret’ creates a contradictory charisma, an illusion within the fashion media. How can the media grapple for a story without a designer profile? They can only speculate, create subjective tales based on their own opinions. Like how a child creates its own fantasies, we are left to our own interpretation, our personal and separate thoughts. That is the magic of playing the fashion system, which MMM demonstrates so well. No other designer has experimented with such a freedom, breaking away from the industry norms.

The idea of a collective led by an anonymous figure spreads to us as we feel included into a group, again a strong comparison to the religious parallels. We are members of a fashion elite, ruled by a mysterious and guarded team. Yet this is definitely not a negative, it is the repeated sense of the unknown that draws us in. Purchasing a garment from its collections, we subconsciously feel we are one step closer to solving the complex puzzle which is interwoven in Masion Martin Margiela.

The anonymity allows us to differentiate from the path of the fashion mainstream. It is what has kept us compelled throughout the past 22 years. It appears they are playing the fashion system from a new perspective. Forget the fashion media and the interview hype, it is the concept and collections which speaks to us.

So please, to all of the fashion media, we no longer want to read of the genius of Margiela, we no longer want the speculation of his whereabouts. We want a differentiation, more focus on the beliefs and the characteristics of the collective. As the Maison Martin Margiela is shrouded in silence, and that is the way it keeps its allure.

Abigail Corbett is about to graduate from the BA (hons) fashion journalism course at the London College of Fashion. She is currently working on her final major project, a magazine based around environmental issues focusing on slow fashion.