Another way Margiela was ahead of his time: He questioned the traditional runway format. Discussing his Fall ’94 season, Vogue declared, “Bad boy Margiela refused to show his collection to the press before it hits the stores in September.” When it came time to present his line for Spring ’95, he was back in show mode, but the presentation came with a twist. “The models sat amid the audience in the theater that housed the show,” The New York Times reported, “until a bell rang and they lined up two deep across the stage to take their turn in the spotlight.” Among the looks that deserved their time there: slip dresses, a tailored check suit, crisp white strapless tops, and a romantic nightgown dress with a gathered bodice worthy of a latter-day Guinevere.
