Maison Margiela Paris Navy Maxi Dress, Size 36
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Length: 46 in (116.84 cm)Marked Size: 36 (EU)Bust: 70 in (177.8 cm)Waist: 70 in (177.8 cm)Hip: 70 in (177.8 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Beverly Hills, CA
- Reference Number:
Maison Martin Margiela
Belgian designer Martin Margiela (b. 1957) — whose life, career, clothing designs and vintage shoes have become cult-collector obsessions — pushed those who attended his shows outside their comfort zones. In the years following his maison's 1988 debut, he toyed with creative and aesthetic paradoxes that persist in fashion today.
Consider the Spring/Summer 2001 shirt patchworked from vintage clothing labels, or his famous corset dresses made from tailoring dummies, from his Fall/Winter 1997 line. Or his oversize collection for Fall/Winter 2000. In 1992, Margiela told Dépêche Mode magazine, “My clothes appeal to women of a certain mindset rather than of a specific age or physique.”
Born in Genk, Belgium, in 1957, Margiela knew he wanted to be a fashion designer after catching glimpses of Parisian fashion on TV as a child. Although his parents discouraged this career choice as an oddly funny aspiration, Margiela enrolled in the fashion program of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts Antwerp. There, he befriended and graduated a year ahead of the Antwerp Six — the acclaimed group of Belgian fashion designers comprising Dries Van Noten, Walter Van Beirendonck, Ann Demeulemeester, Marina Yee, Dirk Bikkembergs and Dirk Van Saene.
Like many of his contemporaries in the 1980s, Margiela understood Paris fashion but felt a deep resonance with the deconstructed beauty espoused by Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo, of Comme des Garçons. Margiela’s fascination with Japan influenced many of his earliest collections and designs, from a dress pieced together from broken plates to his iconic Tabi boots, inspired by the split-toe Japanese worker’s shoe, which dates back to the 15th century. He decided to launch his own line while working for renowned Paris designer Jean Paul Gaultier.
Margiela, Gaultier has often stated, was his best assistant. Even then, the 2019 film Martin Margiela: In His Own Words suggests, he was acutely aware of the widening gulf between the art and the business of fashion.
Margiela’s debut show was nothing short of spectacular. Set in a packed Café de la Gare in the still-seedy Marais district, it was also scandalous to the Parisian fashion set of the time. The designer tore up the conventions of contemporary couture presentations, most notably having his models, plucked from the streets and wearing ink-blotted Tabis, wend their way through the crowd. The show redefined the concept of the runway in a way that would later inspire such designers as Alexander McQueen and Demna Gvasalia.
While the notoriously private designer retired from fashion in 2009, for many Maison Martin Margiela collectors, his pieces capture the irreverence of the postwar, post-punk late 1980s and ’90s. Katy Rodriguez, cofounder of the cult vintage fashion shop Resurrection, is among those who felt a connection to Margiela’s clothing in the subliminal challenges it posed to the time’s beauty norms.
“Growing up in San Francisco and coming out of the end of punk rock, not wanting to be objectified, not wanting to be seen as a sexual object, not wanting your value to be just because you’re pretty — all those clothes played into all of that,” she says. “It really was a reflection of the kind of world the young people I knew at the time wanted to live in.”
Find vintage Maison Martin Margiela boots, evening dresses, jackets and more on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Beverly Hills, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 3 days of delivery.
- Oscar De La Renta Black, White, Brown Mini DressBy Oscar De La RentaLocated in Beverly Hills, CA- Tweed finish - Front dual pockets detail - Mini length, above the knee - Crew neckline - Sleeveless style - Concealed rear zip closureCategory
Late 20th Century Day Dresses
- Issey Miyake Black Midi Dress, Size 2By Issey MiyakeLocated in Beverly Hills, CA- Sleeveless - Mid length - Signature pleated mesh fabric - Made in JapanCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Japanese Day Dresses
- Bill Blass Black Babydoll Dress Size 8By Bill BlassLocated in Beverly Hills, CABill Blass Black Babydoll Dress Product details: Black striped textured pattern Featuring spaghetti straps, measure 6" on the front and 10.5" on ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Babydoll Dresses
- Chanel Black Tweed and Metallic Sleeveless Midi Dress Size 40By ChanelLocated in Beverly Hills, CAChanel Black Tweed and Metallic Sleeveless Midi Dress Size 40 Product details: Size 40 Black tweed with metallic detail 92% Wool Featuring front slit design detail Rear zip and hook...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Evening Dresses
- Vlentino Little Black Crochet Mini Dress Size 42/ 8By ValentinoLocated in Beverly Hills, CAProduct details: Featuring short sleeves, floral, see through, lace top, mini length, side zip closure. The label tag is missing.Category
Late 20th Century Italian Mini Dresses
- Chanel Boutique Black Silk Slip Dress Size 38By Chanel BoutiqueLocated in Beverly Hills, CAProduct details: Featuring black silk, spaghetti straps, mid length, ruffled detail, slit on the back, rear button closure, the buttons stamped with Chanel Paris.Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Day Dresses
- Leonard of Paris Fuschia Multi Color Silk Chiffon Strapless GownBy Leonard of ParisLocated in New York, NYVintage Leonard of Paris bright and flirty ruffled silk chiffon cocktail dress / evening gown, unmarked size, approximately US 6. Featuring four layer...Category
Late 20th Century French Evening Dresses and Gowns
- HERMES Unworn Baroque Bodycon lycra Mini dress, 90sBy HermèsLocated in Genève, CHBeautiful vintage Hermès lycra sleeveless mini dress, from 90s period. This light turquoise/yellow/cream baroque print Hermes dress is in perfect conditio...Category
1990s Italian Mini Dress
- 1980s Zandra Rhodes Abstract Motif Drop Waist Silk DressBy Zandra RhodesLocated in Scottsdale, AZLooking For The Perfect 80s Dress? Well It's Arrived! Circa 1980s, this Zandra Rhodes asymmetrical drop waist dress features a cream and black pattern of flowers, swirls and tribal i...Category
1980s English Evening Dresses
- Yves Saint Laurent Silk Beaded Maxi DressBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Scottsdale, AZThis is a mid-century gem! This Yves Saint Laurent gown has details upon details. The most remarkable being the intricate beaded creating a pattern around the round neckline and the ...Category
Mid-20th Century Italian Maxi Dress
- Alexander McQueen lilac wool button-up sweater dress, fw 1996By Alexander McQueenLocated in London, GB▪ Alexander McQueen lilac wool sweater dress ▪ Turtleneck ▪ Opening across bust line fastening with multiple buttons ▪ Pleated seam at centre-back ▪ Worn ...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Junya Watanabe floral cotton dress with harness straps and backpack, ss 2003By Junya WatanabeLocated in London, GB▪ Junya Watanabe cotton dress ▪ All-over floral pattern with pale blue background ▪ Puff sleeves ▪ Adjustable white harness straps ▪ Detachable backpack ▪ Double layered skirt ▪...Category
Early 2000s Japanese Day Dresses
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Martin Margiela: An Intimate Look at the Designer and His Surreal Fashions
In a recently released film, the elusive Belgian designer reflects on his time in the fashion world and his avant-garde creations, which have become coveted collector items.
With Gems by Bulgari, Cartier and Others, Nadine Krakov Keeps Her L.A. Clients Sparkling
Exceptional jewels, thoughtfully designed and meticulously handmade, are the specialty of the house.