John Galliano’s 10 Best Margiela Moments, According to BAZAAR Editors
In honour of his celebrated decade at the Maison, we look back at our favourite moments.
By Harper's BAZAAR Staff - published
John Galliano has announced he is stepping down as artistic director of Maison Margiela after ten years, with a successor yet to be announced. He wrote in a personal instagram post: “The rumors…Everyone wants to know, and everyone wants to dream. When the time is right, all will be revealed. For now, I take this time to express my immense gratitude. I continue to atone, and I will never stop dreaming. I, too, need to dream.”
In honour of his celebrated decade at the Maison, members of the Harper’s BAZAAR Singapore team look back at some of his best moments with Margiela, from runway to red carpet.
Kenneth Goh, Editor-in-Chief
“To say the Maison Margiela Spring 2024 couture show was a magical moment from Galliano would be an understatement. The thought process, the scale of research, the level of expertise, the intricate work of the petite mains and the imagination to pull all these elements together to create what was one of the most seismic fashion shows ever could only come from a genius. Galliano’s respect for craft, his elegance in execution, his love for the female form, his intimate understanding of textiles is par excellence.
From street urchins, to ladies of the night, courtesans from past eras and characters from Les Miserables, tiny waists were emphasised with corsets while busts and behinds were generously filled with padding. The idea of concealment and exposure was beautifully crafted, nothing is what appears to the eye. Employing trompe l’oeile techniques, tulle and cotton created volume; lace and wool made texture. All in the craft of building character on models that performed on the runway.
This wasn’t just a runway show, this was an exploration of humanity, of desire, of spectacle. That’s the magic of Galliano - you don’t wear a dress. You wear centuries of craft, decades of research and years of know-how woven into the very fabric of life.”
Windy Aulia, Creative Director
Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Fall/Winter 2016 Collection.
“The Maison Margiela Artisanal fall/winter 2016 as well as the 2017 collections will forever be part of my core memory—to see the show, to witness the clothes in person, to be able to touch and shoot them in a studio was truly a privilege. Galliano’s ability to riff on Martin Margiela’s ethos should be the case study for many a designer.
Maison Margiela’s Fall/Winter 2017 Collection.
Take the fall/winter 2016 for instance. He made me rethink the way I should be seeing the most mundane of things like cardboard or soap suds. Or his bold take on the utilitarian uniform in the fall/winter 2017 collection—a special look that we managed to include in our December 2016 haute couture editorial spread. These are only some of the best examples from his exploratory work showcasing his boundless creativity. They’re so raw, exciting and shockingly authentic. While the path to make the ordinary extraordinary was actually written in the house codes of Margiela, in Galliano’s deft hands they instantly became more layered, more interesting, and made everyone stop and wonder.”
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Arissa Ha, Senior Beauty Editor
Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Spring/Summer 2017 Collection.
“John Galliano’s Spring 2017 collection for Maison Margiela was a masterclass in restrained artistry—a sharp pivot from the theatricality that many, including myself, had come to associate with his work. Collaborating with artist Benjamin Shine, Galliano used tulle as a medium to craft ethereal, almost ghostly portraits on garments. The sheer fabric seemingly painted in air, sculpted into faces that felt alive, haunting, and deeply poetic.
While part of me still yearns for the drama and opulence of his Dior days, this collection was a turning point. It showcased his genius and versatility, reminding the world that he remains a creative force to be reckoned with.”
Aaron Kok, Fashion Editor
Maison Margiela’s Fall/Winter 2020 Collection, Look 42.
“There are so many reasons why I loved this look. Firstly, one of the things I loved as a young fashion student was the famous Margiela face masks. Also, this show took place just before the world went into lockdown, so the reintroduction of the masks feels prophetic.
In Galliano’s hands they took on a softer, but no less impactful feel in powdery lilac tulle. It’s a look that reminds me of Galliano’s later work for his eponymous brand prior to his departure: the bias-cut is a perennial icon that Galliano hones consistently, while the wistfulness of the fabric and the flow looks like it could’ve jumped out of a Brassaï photograph.”
Fall/winter 2017 haute couture, Look 42
If there’s two things I look for, it’s silhouette and texture. In this one look, Galliano gave me everything that I wanted. The organza is pleated to resemble corrugated cardboard, as if it served as a pre-cursor to the paper dolls in his swansong spring/summer 2024 couture showcase. It’s fascinating to look at, with just enough drama that it’s unmistakably Galliano.
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Gracia Phang, Style Editor
“While Gwendoline Christie in John Galliano’s swansong for Maison Margiela tops the charts of most memorable moments of his decade at helm, his spring/summer 2022 co-ed collection was too distinctive in its theatrics and fantasy that Galliano brings. In particular, the pastel and white sheers used in extensiveness added softness to the narrative. It was fresh and light, but always lined with underlying darkness and humour.”
Shermin Ng, Senior Digital Writer
Maison Margiela’s Artisanal Fall 2015 Collection
“Galliano’s second Artisanal collection for Maison Margiela—which marked his triumphant return to Paris Couture Week after his public departure from Dior and his eponymous label—was a poetic masterwork of craft and innovation. Hobo coats, fuzzy cellophane skirts and theatrical flourishes reigned, culminating in a dramatic bridal look: a floor-sweeping, pillowy cloud that wrapped the body like a duvet.”
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Brandon Chia, Content Producer
John Galliano’s design for Rihanna’s Met Gala 2018 look.
“Shutting down the red carpet of the Met Gala is no easy feat with countless A-listers and designers bringing out their best looks. But Rihanna and Galliano did just that in 2018 with a custom look and accessories inspired by the Pope for the theme of Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. This was undoubtedly a ballsy move with the potential for backlash—then again, that is what we come to expect from a designer who never shies away from disrupting the fashion scene.”
Syaza Agape, Content Producer
“Who can forget when Galliano designed a corset gown for Zendaya for the 2024 Met Gala? His work for Maison Margiela doesn’t shy from turning heads, and creating looks etched in our minds for a long while. This mythogically inspired haute couture silhouette is no different—as Galliano carefully meshes together materials like aluminium and organza with beautifully hand-painted motifs in contrasting emerald green and a very electric blue. And the best thing is that this was just look 1 of Galliano’s for Zendaya at the Met this year!”