The Slippery Dip at Maison Martin Margiela

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Slippery Dip at Maison Marting Margiela Store, Beijing
Slippery Dip at Maison Marting Margiela Store, Beijing

The Belgian fashion house that brought us split-toe Tabi boots and oversized doll garments, this month opened a flagship store in Beijing complete with slippery dip slide – the most Loved post of the week chosen by editor in chief of A MAGAZINE

The Belgian fashion house that brought us split-toe Tabi boots and oversized doll garments, has this month opened a flagship store in Beijing complete with slippery dip slide – the Most Loved post of the week chosen by editor in chief of A MAGAZINE curated by, Dan Thawley. Renowned for their ironic and tongue-in-cheek approach to fashion, the iconic Maison Martin Margiela is not afraid of pushing boundaries and turning conventions on their head, literally – note the S/S09 show in which models appeared with wigs covering their faces and dressed in “Wig Coats”.

As October marks the two-year anniversary since Martin Margiela left the brand he founded in 1988, the opening of this new store signals exciting things for the house. Situated within the Sanlitun Road district, the multi-floor boutique – the label’s largest so far – offers the complete Maison Martin Margiela range: from men’s and womenswear, accessories and home design collections. In trademark Margiela style the store’s airy interior mimics the clinical nature of a laboratory, a theme present throughout all of the brand’s stores, with shop assistants dressed in trademark white lab coats. Showing that whilst conceptual they don’t take themselves to seriously, the aluminium slide in Margiela’s new Beijing store invites customers to sit on a white (what other colour?) cushion and slide from the top to ground floor. Its wave formation not unlike the giant spiralling slides installed at Tate Modern for Carsten Höller's The Unilever Series in 2006.

Here, we speak to Thawley about his fashionably playful AnOther Love of the week, what makes a good shopping experience and what his favourite Maison Martin Margiela piece of all-time is.

What made you choose to Love this slippery dip at the Maison Martin Margiela store in Beijing?
The slippery dip felt like a playful extension of Mr Margiela's aesthetic and wit into a new architectural medium.

Are you a fan of Margiela – if so why and what is your favourite piece?
I have followed Martin's work and the work of the house for a while, I appreciate it. My favourite piece is my spring/summer 2006 artisanal jacket, stitched together out of Swiss army kit bags!

What are your favourite stores – what, where and why?
Assin in Melbourne was one of my first experiences of high-fashion and remains an inspiring space for me. I could get lost for hours in museum bookshops too – recently I visited the Jeu de Paume in the Tuileries in Paris.

What to you makes a good shopping experience?
Reliable yet subtle service in a comfortable and interesting space, with a careful selection of products that all make sense together.

If you had your own store what special feature or unique idea would you employ?
I think my own store would have to be an inside/outside experience, filled with constantly changing collections and objects, and possibly some sort of exotic animal wandering around.

What were your highlights of the Maison Martin Margiela S/S12 show?
The PVC Tabi boots, and the eye-catching carpet-on-carpet effect that connected the garments with the scenography.

What was the last thing you bought and from where?
I bought a navy crew-neck sweater from the Dries Van Noten boutique in Antwerp.

What is your favourite online store?
I love LN-CC.

Text by Lucia Davies