Margiela by Galliano Ignites Questions Over Heritage Fashion's Fate

On Monday night, Zendaya graced the Met Gala in a Maison Margiela Artisanal dress designed by John Galliano. The dress was made from entwined dark blue and green tulle and adorned with clusters of berries. It was a dark and mystical look that adhered perfectly to the theme, ‘The Garden of Time’ but, as many fashion enthusiasts pointed out, Galliano had referenced himself. The dress drew on a ss’99 piece from his time at Dior. Kim Kardashian's Maison Margiela couture Met Gala dress was also a reference to a piece from the Dior by Galliano fall'97 collection. 



This comes after the most recent Margiela couture collection threw the fashion world into a time loop. When they first saw the collection, a Harper’s Bazaar writer ‘assumed it was an old video from the nineties’. The drama and whimsy of the collection alluded to Galliano’s prime, a time to which we may be returning after the release of the documentary ‘High & Low’ by Kevin MacDonald. 

Many swooned over Zendaya’s exquisite look and Ariana Grande’s ethereal couture Margiela performance outfit, but others questioned the ethics of referencing past work from another fashion house. 



Maison Martin Margiela (as the brand was known) is distinguished for being anti-fashion. The pieces are unconventional and deconstructed often with exposed seams and asymmetrical silhouettes. Martin Margiela was known as ‘the invisible man’ refusing to bow at the end of runway shows ensuring that the focus was always on the clothes. This is a harsh contrast from the way Galliano ended his shows, often dressing the part and performing his way down the runway. 

In some ways, Galliano has stayed true to the Margiela ethos. Bad Bunny’s Maison Margiela Met Gala look featured the exposed seams the brand is so famously known for. The suit, which represents the reversal of time, features on most ‘best dressed’ lists. 



However, the references to his past collections from other houses, as opposed to drawing on inspiration from the house he currently designs for, left self-acclaimed fashion critics wondering if heritage fashion is dead. Some believe that Galliano’s comeback should be occurring primarily under his eponymous label, rather than the Maison Margiela name to leave the history and aesthetic of the brand intact. 

i understand the galliano connection, but reading the words “margiela based on dior” is so jarring. heritage houses are dead and all the antifashion leaders sold out. https://t.co/EcjN0DHiZ2

— chloe (@chloeikennedy) May 7, 2024

When Galliano took over as creative director of Maison Martin Margiela it was reported by the Guardian in 2014 that Martin Margiela told him to ‘make it his own’. So, the ‘Martin’ was dropped, and Maison Margiela continued under the fanciful eye of John Galliano. 

It could be argued that he has entwined his fantastical and dramatic eye with the avant-garde Margiela aesthetic to define his era of the fashion house.



This isn’t the first-time designers have referenced their own work from other fashion houses. In 2020, whilst trying to design a collection mid-pandemic, Nicolas Ghesquière designed his ss’21 Louis Vuitton collection based on his past work at Balenciaga during the noughties. 

The answer to this fashion discourse is non-existent and is purely based on one’s own opinion. One thing is for sure though, it’s fitting that a Met Gala based on ‘The Garden of Time’ has triggered a debate based on borrowing from fashions past to give to the present.

Up next, Dua Lipa by Brianna Capozzi for Beauty Papers.