This week's most Loved post is Maison Martin Margiela's nose piece, as chosen by AnOther's Fashion Editor Agata Belcen...
Season on season, Maison Martin Margiela never fails to surprise, delight and occasionally disconcert its audience. For S/S12, they brought new meaning to the term "bedhead", in A/W12, models prowled the catwalk in deconstructed sleeves, faces half concealed by rollneck collars, and for couture A/W12, models presented the collection with their faces fully obscured by diamond encrusted masks, a look that proved very popular on the AnOther Loves stream. And they have struck again with their recent collection at Paris fashion week, with this Margiela nose piece winning the Loves vote for AnOther Fashion Editor Agata Belcen.
It's rare that a catwalk show comes up with an entirely new style of jewellery, and while this item is unusual, it has been seen before in slightly different forms. Inspired by the clip that unites spectacle lenses, it recalls piercings on the bridge of the nose and utilitarian clips used by swimmers. Shown both embellished with gemstones or plain, it is a piece that spoke volumes about the style of the fashion house, which often elevates the everyday or mundane to striking and beautiful objects. Carpets were used this way in S/S12 – literally plucked from the catwalk and fashioned into dresses, shawls and boots, and sweet wrappers became clutchbags in 2010. Always working to distort our desires, Margiela is undoubtedly one of the most exciting brands in the fashion world today: here we talk to Belcen about her favourite Margiela moment in recent years, and what inspired her to Love this unconventional adornment.
Why did you choose to Love this Margiela nose clip?
It was a really delicate piece of jewellery that was both elegant and unexpected like the collection. It reminded me of a synchronised swimmers nose-pieces, a pince-nez with the glass removed, and Hindu jewellery.
"It is a piece that speaks volumes about the style of the fashion house, which works to elevate the everyday or mundane to striking and beautiful objects."
What would you team it with?
One of the looks with the sweetheart necklines in the Margiela collection this season.
These clips came either plain or embellished with gemstones - which would you choose and why?
I like the restraint of the plain ones.
Piercings or clip ons?
Clip-ons remind me of my grandmother, and I've found some good vintage ones over the years. Piercings are great too, I've got 6 at the moment and considering a few more.
What is your favourite Margiela collection of past seasons?
I loved A/W11 for the way the women were partially disrobed and and almost damaged - smeared make up and bedraggled hair - and it was a cast of older, real women. Also the carpet dresses in plastic covers in S/S12 and the DIY jewellery in that collection where a ring would be completed by the addition of a beautiful leaf.
What smell do you love the most?
Hard to beat the smell of a bakery. I like how many nation's bakeries have a distinct smell because of their slightly different processes and ingredients.
What was the last thing you bought?
I've been pretty abstemious recently, so am going to treat myself soon.
