M A R T I N M A R G I E L A is all about stealth. His philosophy and clothing represent a special kind of ‘meta-fashion’: fashion that is essentially about fashion without the glitzy marketing hype. Casting aside the ‘cult of personality’ that is attached to many celeb designers, Margiela has brilliantly fostered a cult of impersonality, eschewing vanity altogether and further deconstructing the conventions of the industry. He’s a curious anomaly in an industry that thrives on visibility, image and self-aggrandizement. Margiela seldom attends his own runway shows or presentations and refuses to do interviews (except by fax machine). His evasiveness demonstrates an unbridled commitment to creativity, and highlights two important things: first, the clothes/accessories speak for themselves; and, second, Margiela’s work, as perplexing as it may be, embodies the collective efforts of a talented design team - not simply a singular designer. His absence at his own events makes this powerful point, and all correspondence from his atelier in Paris is always written in the plural form with the signature “Maison Martin Margiela.”www.worshipworthy.com
