Maison Martin Margiela SS2010 RTW

[Shomore]

<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00010m.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-9789" title="00010m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00010m.jpg" alt="" width="320" height="480" /></a></p>
<p style="text-align: center;"><em><a href="http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/full-length-photos/id,8401" target="_blank">(All photos c/o Style.com &amp; Vogue.uk)</a></em></p>

<a href="http://www.style.com/fashionshows/review/S2010RTW-MMARGIEL" target="_blank">Maison Martin Margiela's spring 2010 Ready-to-wear runway </a>show struck me primarily as experiential performance art. The idea of fashion itself felt at though it was more of an afterthought to the main artistic performance; a convenient subject matter and the runway an under-utilized performance venue. Judging from some of the reviews out there, <a href="http://www.vogue.co.uk/fashion/show.aspx/catwalk-report/id,8401" target="_blank">response has been mixed at best</a>.

Is it art? Assuredly.

Is it wearable...the truest test of a consumable such as fashion?* Perhaps.

The number of women who will actually spend money on such experimental fashions - particularly since they seem to be composed of papery fabrics and blocky styles is very limited.

The phrase that came to mind while I was browsing these images was '<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retro-futurism" target="_blank">Retro-futuristic</a>'.* These styles are incredibly reminiscent of the various space-costumes seen in <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0055683/" target="_blank"><em>The Jetsons</em></a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_movie" target="_blank">1950's-60's B-movies</a>,* and the old <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0078579/" target="_blank">Buck Rogers television show</a> (<a href="http://www.imdb.com/media/rm1819777024/tt0078579" target="_blank">Colonel Deering, anyone?</a>).

<a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00090m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9772" title="00090m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00090m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a> <a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00130m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9773" title="00130m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00130m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a> <a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00230m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9774" title="00230m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00230m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a>

As to the footwear, it was an attention-getting mix of baggy boots, the occasional basic pump, and legwarmers-cum-gaiters-cum-hip wader/chaps.* I have to wonder, where is our attention supposed to be here?* There is so much going on visually with each model; each look seems to have it's own competition going on between outfit and accessories; only a few looks managed to succeed in being both interesting and balanced.

<a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00040m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9777" title="00040m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00040m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a> <a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00030m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9778" title="00030m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00030m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a> <a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00060m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9779" title="00060m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00060m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a>

<a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00290m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9786" title="00290m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00290m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a> <a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00170m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9785" title="00170m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00170m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /> </a><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00100m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9780" title="00100m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00100m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a>

<a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00110m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9781" title="00110m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00110m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a> <a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00140m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9782" title="00140m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00140m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /> </a><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00200m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9787" title="00200m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00200m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a>

<a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00360m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9783" title="00360m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00360m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /> </a><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00180m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9784" title="00180m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00180m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /> </a><a href="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00310m.jpg"><img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-9788" title="00310m" src="http://www.shoeblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/00310m-200x300.jpg" alt="" width="180" height="270" /></a>

So, is this intriguing? Yes.

Wearable? Maybe, if some of it is scaled down a bit. Right now these are so conceptual and over-proportioned that most wearers will get completely lost among the garments &amp; shoes. I'm a big believer that you should wear your clothing, your clothing shouldn't 'wear' you.

Plus, I've done the baggy slouched boot before.* Boots that slouch past a certain point simply become physically irritating as they move around the leg and foot with a life of their own. There really is a point where a boot gets too baggy to practically wear.