MM6 Maison Margiela

As mysterious as its creator, Maison Margiela is known for its anti-conformist stance and its determination to always challenge our image of conventional beauty. Conceptual, radical and refined, it inspires and intrigues with the art of deconstruction and its use of unusual materials. Currently under the watchful and artistic eye of John Galliano, the house is embarking on a new phase in its history, embracing a more dramatic and feminine feel. Although the designer is keen to put his own stamp on the Maison Margiela brand, he remains true to the transgressive, minimalist style and symbols that made it famous. Among its many symbolic designs is its signature label, made up of numbers evoking the House's various lines, and stitched in white cotton thread. The MM6 Maison Margiela range is indicated on each label with the number "6" encircled and enlarged. Conceived as a marginally more affordable and slightly less intellectual alternative to Maison Margiela, it started out in 1997 as a more contemporary and less extravagant line than the brand that inspired its birth. Bit by bit, MM6 distinguished itself from Maison Margiela, including developing its own signature: its labels are no longer sewn with four stitches, but with a line of white stitches. And while Maison Margiela can boast of its Snatched, Glam Slam, New Lock and 5AC designs, MM6 has also made its mark with its signature bag, the Classic Japanese. This elegant triangular tote is inspired by origami, the art of Japanese folding. Available in various colours and materials, the Japanese bag is as daring as it is surprising: a system of press studs allows it to change shape and be remodelled however you please. Footwear-wise, MM6 Maison Margiela takes its inspiration from the flagship models designed by Martin Margiela twenty years earlier for his premium range. The silhouette of the Tabi boots has been redesigned and simplified to create the Anatomics, while the aesthetics of the Replica sneakers give birth to the 6 Court. MM6 Maison Margiela also boasts some remarkable collaborations, like with Eastpak, the master of the backpack. Here, the Classic Japanese bag is accessorised with a zipped pocket, and Eastpak's signature backpack, completely distorted, gains a fashion-forward feel.