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October 17, 2005
MARGIELA: WHAT HAPPENED TO THE JEWELRY?
by Antonia Leslie

"WHAT ARE THE RAILWAY TRACKS FOR?" "THEY ARE FOR FOR THE SMALL PLATFORMS TO BE PUSHED ON." "WHY?" "SO WE CAN SEE THE MODELS GO BY." THE CLOTHES GLIDED PAST US WITH SIGNS SAYING WET PAINT AND DELIVERY MEN PUSHING THEM. THE GIRLS WERE VERY SHINY AS THEY HAD JEWELRY MADE OF MELTING ICE BEADS WITH COLOURED PAINT WHICH RAN DOWN THE CLOTHES, PRINTING THEM FOR A LIVE AUDIENCE. ELEGANT TROUSERS WITH NEARLY NAKED TORSOS AND BEATIFUL FABRICS, BLACK WITH HUGE GREY CIRCLES OR CHERRY RED SILK SATIN WITH RAW EDGES. THERE WAS AN INFLUENCE OF SURREALIST FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY AND SET DESIGN FROM THE THIRTIES, WITH COVERED HEADS AND LONGS DRESSES STILL ATTACHED TO THE FABRIC ROLLS LEFT AT THE SIDE OF THE MODELS. AS THE SHOW WENT ON EVERYBODY BECAME MORE AND MORE SHINY AS THE ICE JEWELRY DISAPPEARED.

MARTIN MARGIELA