Margiela, Margiela, and more Margiela

Okay, so you must have been hiding under a rock (or just not follow fashion news) if you haven’t heard about the Maison Martin Margiela Collection for H&M .The fashion world was buzzing with rumors all summer after the official press release in June, and then fashion folks everywhere were counting down the days until previews were posted online. 

Just in case you do not know who or what Maison Martin Margiela is or why this was such a key moment in fashion history, I will share my tiny bit of knowledge with you:) Martin Margiela is a Belgian designer who studied at one of the most amazing schools, The Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium. I’ve had the privilege to attend their student fashion show and study from a graduate of the school, Anke Loh, and I'm always amazed with the designs that are created. There's the whole story of the Antwerp Six and Martin Margiela is often referred to as the 7th. Antwerp is also my second favorite city in the world (Philly is number one of course) so basically in my mind nothing bad can come out of Antwerp. The Maison Martin Margiela label is known for deconstruction, size manipulation among other techniques, and generally has a sense of humor and mystery around it. The fashion maven, Kanye West, often raps about Margiela which for some reason means that the line has street cred too....who knew. No one in the general public has ever seen Martin Margiela (there is one photo that exists) and he mysteriously left the company in 2009. Drama and intrigue always make things much more interesting...

I digress. I was eagerly anticipating the launch of this collection. Unfortunately I was unable to camp out over night and there is no online shopping in this area, so I was anxious all day hoping there would be something left for me. Fortunately there were still plenty of items available when I arrived later that afternoon although the Candy Wrapper Clutch was long gone.

The Mini Skirt Trouser

I didn't see the pieces that I loved, plus the cashier said that they were expecting a late shipment, so on Thursday I decided to get a classic item, a pair of black wool Pattern Cut Trousers and a fun piece, the Hair Lock Necklace. When I returned on Friday, I picked up the Circle Shirt and the Enlarged Watch Frame Bracelet.

In general, I love really/expect great packaging that is usually associated with luxury brands, but this was my first purchase from a H&M guest designer and I was pleasantly surprised!!! Each accessory came in a special box with a dust bag imprinted with information about the original release of the design. There were special shopping bags with canvas handles, cloth garment bags and a free sample of the perfume Untitled that were all a part of the purchase. Even the iconic number grid that represents the life of the fashion house was everywhere; on the labels inside the garments, the price tags, the shopping bags and even the garment bag. It would have been overkill except white on white is so clean and fresh that it wasn't overwhelming.

To say I am in love is an understatement. I might have to check back next week to see if there is anything left...

P.S. I have not received any reimbursement for endorsing any of the brands or products mentioned in this article.