Ensemble
In this Maison Margiela ensemble, John Galliano reinterprets the eccentric dress of dandified young men in post- revolutionary France. Known as the Incroyables (Incredibles), they embraced a form of antifashion defined by exaggerated proportions and an affected carelessness. This historical influence is evident in the high collar, oversized lapels, and exaggerated coattails, which have been transformed into trailing lengths of silk chiffon. Galliano has created the extraordinary effect of firm, brushed wool seamlessly transitioning into sheer silk chiffon, as though the wool is unraveling into an insubstantial, ethereal form. The illusion is achieved by needle felting the two textiles together, a process that permanently entwines their fibers—a meticulous couture technique used to create the impression of a deconstructed garment.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ensemble
- Design House: Maison Margiela (French, founded 1988)
- Designer: John Galliano (British, born Gibraltar, 1960)
- Couture Line: Artisanal
- Date: spring/summer 2015
- Culture: French
- Medium: wool, silk, cotton, leather, synthetic
- Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of The Costume Institute Gifts, 2015
- Object Number: 2015.541a–h
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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