Remember that Diana Ross song, ‘Reach out and Touch’? I like to think it inspired John Galliano’s Autumn/ Winter 2018 collection for Maison Margiela. Probably not, but lets not let that stop us from throwing a totally unrelated reference at a review. Especially seeing as this is a collection that urges you to reach out and touch it. How could you not want to? Especially as the press notes describe it as, “Fabrics native to the men’s wardrobe such as Harris tweed, herringbone, flannel and a wealth of wools are contrasted by the artificial nature of rubber and poly-urethane. Polyester gabardine and nylon nod at sportswear while leathers and knitwear draw on menswear classics.”.
Would it be appropriate to call the marriage of wool and rubber clothing S&M? There’s a forties silhouette to this, slightly feminine, and cut on the bias. Think a Joan Crawford shoulder. In fact, the macs worn over nude bodies are ever so slightly reminiscent of a sexy, late night booty call. If you had one of these come knocking at your door in the dead of night you wouldn’t kick it out. Actually, who are we kidding, we totally would kick it out. But not before removing the mac to keep for ourselves. It’s the only fitting punishment for interrupting our beauty sleep.
Photographs by Jason Lloyd-Evans
