John and Yoko are no strangers to the fashion-show press release. Every time the world is in strife—which has become, sort of, always—the pair’s names seem to manifest in show notes as symbols for peaceful rebellion and love. Rarely does this work out for the clothes. But at MM6 the pair served as the perfect starting point for a collection that grappled with ideas of identity versus community and partnership versus individuality, culminating in a big-time, unstoppable feeling of togetherness.
Lennon and Ono’s “bed-in” was the stated starting point, all plush white sheets and pointed displays of protest, but it was the idea of a happy marriage of opposites that the MM6 design team took to heart. Tailored blazers were slashed at the sides to allow for cupcake layers of white tulle to spill out. Menswear-inspired suits collided with women’s lingerie details. (Though the collection is womens wear, some looks were shown on men and will be produced in men’s sizing.) Leather with cotton with denim with lace—it was a mash-up of opposites living in harmony that was, more than some other recent MM6 collections, especially reverent to the thoughtful, intentional work of the brand’s namesake. It was also especially lovely.
But a streak of Margielaian irreverence cut against the pure prettiness of the garments. Boots were made with tin-can heels, and sweatshirts were sprayed with Just Margiela, inspired by the way cars are decorated for just-married couples. Other graphics included a Better Half hoodie and a bouquet of roses superimposed on a circle dress—be your own better half and be your own bouquet, they seemed to say. Maybe the big message here was that for all the unity and community we strive for, sometimes you just gotta be the star of your own show. As each model high-speed strutted through a former railway station in Milan carrying her own portable speaker, pushing through crowds of gawkers sipping Prosecco, she seemed, finally, free. John and Yoko would have vibed.
