Maison Martin Margiela Leather Tabi Ankle Boots
View Similar Items
Maison Martin Margiela Leather Tabi Ankle Boots
About the Item
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 40 (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Cincinnati, OH
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2542481633
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.
- Dolce & Gabbana Pink Floral Raffia Wedge Platform Ankle Strap SandalsBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Perfectly sewn and finished to ensure an elegant look and fit, these Dolce & Gabbana wedge shoes are a purchase you'll love flaunting. They look great on the feet.Category
2010s Italian Shoes
- Louis Vuitton Dusty Pink Nubuck Leather Wedge SneakersBy Louis VuittonLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Coming in a classic silhouette, these designer sneakers are a seamless combination of luxury, comfort, and style. These sneakers are designed with signature details and comfortable i...Category
2010s European Shoes
- Louis Vuitton Burgundy Leather Gloria LoafersBy Louis VuittonLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Let this comfortable pair be your first choice when you're out for a long day. These designer shoes have well-sewn uppers beautifully set on durable soles.Category
2010s Italian Shoes
- Louis Vuitton Black Leather Lock It Flat SlidesBy Louis VuittonLocated in Dubai, Al Qouz 2Enhance your casual looks with a touch of high style with these designer slides. Rendered in quality material with a lovely hue adorning its expanse, this pair is a must-have!Category
2010s Italian Shoes
- Casadei Gold Leather SandalsBy CasadeiLocated in Capri, ITCasadei Gold Leather Sandals totally made in italy in size 38 heels: 11 cmCategory
1990s Italian Shoes
$170 Sale Price20% Off - Valentino Garavani Green Leather Rockstud Wedge Espadrilles (EU 36)By Valentino GaravaniLocated in Montreal, QuebecColor: Beige and olive green Material: Rope & leather Size: 36 EU / 5.5 US Heel Height: 100 mm / 4” Condition: Good. Faint hairline marks to uppers. Light stretches and stains to the...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes