Older brands have been diving into the archives lately, looking for well-known archetypes that need a contemporary refresh. At MM6 Maison Margiela, the pre-spring 2025 collection is built on clothes that somehow work “with and against the idea of generic staples,” according to the notes. In the studio, the slogan is ‘ready when you wear it’, because the intention is more to encourage playfulness in the clothing than to be instant cool.
When the founding designer was still in the house, “dressed” for women often meant columnar shapes and bare arms. This season, that fresh ’90s archetype returns with back slit tops or dresses nicknamed ’90 degree’ pieces, as the wearer can opt for ‘alternative’ armholes (namely a back slit) or sleeves to give a surreal twist or drape. A ruffled t-shirt, seemingly tied with packing tape, riffs on a DIY peplum (it slips on thanks to a discreet side zipper), while a denim skirt is screwed on to reveal a back pocket at the front and the side fly – an example of considered design masquerading as haphazardness. Textures and treatments such as raw edges, exposed stitching and distressed silks are meant to evoke the worn, imperfect reality of the pre-digital age. A silver jacket, inspired by mid-century fire gear, combines austere utilitarianism with ’60s minimalism (the shoe socks are also a nice styling trick).
Menswear focuses on functionality, but there is often a downside to attitude: a trench coat crosses with a wool coat, a bomber crosses with a denim jacket, a beige summer suit has a contrasting panel that is actually a lining worn on the outside. Composed as a sartorial collage, normcore also somehow manages to seem cool. Workwear and cargowear with grunge effects combine with Ivy codes or reversible bombers with reflective seams from the brand’s ongoing collaboration with Salomon. Also new are the Spectur 2 city sneakers in a coated knit that will crack and patina over time. Two leather pieces deserve a spotlight: the sharply cut black jacket and a new version of a vintage crossbody holster bag (originally made in canvas) look great now – and will rightly become heirlooms.
