Glenn Martens presented the Maison Margiela Spring-Summer 2026 collection in Paris with the confident ease of a designer who has already proven his strength. Following the intensity of his Artisanal show in July, this ready-to-wear presentation exuded a more relaxed energy, drawing closer to real life without losing the distinctive edge of the brand.
The show opened with an unexpected moment of warmth. Sixty-one children from Romilly-sur-Seine, dressed in oversized tuxedos, took their seats in an orchestra pit and began playing classical pieces. Their offbeat performance filled the space with genuine laughter and surprise, setting a human tone that contrasted sharply with the models’ restrained expressions. Martens explained that the mouthpieces worn by the models, which echoed the house’s iconic four-stitch signature, reflected uniformity and forced emotion. This allowed the audience to interpret the gesture as they wished.
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Beyond this visual tension, the Maison Margiela Spring-Summer 2026 collection was a masterclass in intelligent design. Martens delved into the brand’s archives, reworking fundamental elements like the shoulder line, the white shirt, and the trench coat, while adding a pragmatic touch shaped by his experience at Diesel. “I love making clothes people want to live in,” he remarked, and that intention was evident throughout the collection.
Tailoring played a central role. Suits appeared with raw-cut lapels or silk overlays, their structure softened by Martens’s precise sense of proportion. Some jackets were veiled in sheer black chiffon; others incorporated scarves into the neckline, creating the illusion of layered dressing. The effect was subtle and refined, never forced. Trench coats with tucked lapels and leather biker jackets nodded to Margiela’s fascination with construction and deconstruction yet felt wearable – a word rarely associated with the brand’s past excesses.
The lineup also featured stronger denim pieces and a confident return of leather. Long black coats, washed-out jeans, and taped slip dresses reflected Martens’s desire to reconnect with street sensibilities while maintaining haute couture craftsmanship. The designer’s Belgian restraint was evident in a color scheme dominated by black, white, and muted metallic tones, interrupted only by soft florals in satin wrap dresses.
Martens’s understanding of fashion as both creative and commercial was evident. His years at Y/Project taught him to experiment, and Diesel taught him discipline. Here, he stitched both perspectives into a collection that feels authentic – neither nostalgic nor theatrical, but true to the present. He respected the house’s DNA of anonymity, irony, and transformation, yet refreshed it for a generation that values authenticity over spectacle.
