Maison Martin Margiela Boutique (Paris, France)

Anyone familiar with Maison Martin Margiela's work knows that most things associated with the fashion house, whether it's the seasonal runway collections or the flagships, will be different than anything they've ever seen before. Margiela, who emerged from the Belgian fashion scene alongside the famous Antwerp 6, founded the fashion label in 1988 in Paris - which is now a collaborative effort by an entire design team. The deconstructed, avant-garde and radical designs are as talked-about as the fact that Margiela is completely elusive, refusing to grant face-to-face interviews or staying backstage after a runway show.

SS09 RTW Collection (images: style.com)

The two main MMM concepts - anti-branding (as seen on the blank garment labels) and the focus on the actual clothes, instead of a single person's individuality (as seen on the runway where model's faces are covered up) - also apply to the MMM's main atelier, the flagships and the shop-in-shops in department stores. While staff members don't run around with stockings over their heads, they are dressed in white lab coats, probably in an effort to eliminate the individual. And as for lack of branding, there are no logos in-store but everything is cloaked in white - from the walls to the furniture - something I found to be even more powerful than any logo branding, especially when you spy a stark-white MMM area with lab coat clad SA's in an otherwise colorful department store space.

The original Parisian flagship near the Palais Royal is so low-key, I've walked past it numerous times forgetting it was there. Which is why I decided to check out the newer boutique on Rue de Grenelle, a store that's slightly easier to spot and that houses both the entire women's and men's collection (ranging from lines 0 to 22), making it a great place to get an overview of the current range.

Even though the flagship interior was very white, I wouldn't call it minimalist. In fact, it's fairly cluttered and full of odd props. The first strange thing you'll notice are the three mannequin busts by the door that aren't wearing anything. I'm guessing this is to symbolize a certain anti-advertising stance.


Long shelves near the tunnel-shaped entrance presented the range of MMM shoes on the left and a series of mismatched sofas draped in white fabric stood to the right. Further along, a selection of t-shirts to benefit the AIDS charity hung from a coat rack, while a cabinet highlighted one of the Artisanal dresses from the 0 range in front of which you could flick through a book showcasing other handmade dresses and outfits. Most of the Artisanal range such as deconstructed dresses and sculpted boleros, could be found on mannequins as opposed to hanging from racks, and these were definitely my favorite items, though I'm not sure I could pull of wearing most of them.

The large cash desk, with numerous glass cases presenting jewelry and accessories reminded me more of a counter at the pharmacy, but it was probably due to the SA in a lab coat standing behind it. The luggage trolleys filled with various MMM bags and cases on the other hand, made part of the store look like a hotel entrance - a look that was underlined by the white canopy that stretched along part of the store. And for anyone who's thirsty, there's even a water dispenser - covered in a white sheet of course.

I ventured downstairs for a brief moment, where most of the MM6 line was displayed. Considering that the only decoration here were a few runway show clippings on the wall, this was probably the most normal part of the boutique.

Heading back up towards the ground floor, what caught my main attention was a mannequin wearing a sequined black blazer and opaque leggings, surrounded by mic stands. Because it was placed on a podium (along with racks of clothes), it basically looked like it was about to perform on stage. As I began browsing the runway collection I was once again reminded of how much the fashion industry owes MMM. Anyone who wonders where Balmain got the big shoulders, sparkly disco dresses or ripped jeans from, really needs to come here for a reality check. I think MMM must have been doing this for the last 20 years and even though a lot of the previous looks have been revisited, innovative twists such as wig-styled fringing and edgy draping were clearly visible in this season's collection.

Towards the back, I found the men's casual and runway lines as well as the women's 'garde robe' (4) range in what resembled a walk-in closet. While the lower rack could easily be browsed, the upper level displayed a selection of garments covered in white fabric - not sure if these were just for decoration purposes or if actual clothes were hidden there. Opened shelves displayed a few accessories, such as belts and scarves.

I'm still a bit overwhelmed by the visit, as there was so much to look at. I can however assure you that this store wasn't intimidating at all, just because there was so much stuff lying around and the staff while friendly, were busy scurrying around rearranging clothes, leaving me to look around freely. Definitely worth a visit if you want to see a boutique with a completely innovative design - I'm guessing that MMM flagships in other cities will be very similar. In summary, this was a combo of pharmacy, hotel entrance, music venue and walk-in closet. Very bizarre. Very very cool. It's certainly been one of my favorites so far.

Address: 13 rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris
Opening Hrs: Mon-Sat: 10:00-19:00
Maison Martin Margiela Homepage