The 12 Days of Margiela: A Numerical Unraveling
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By PAGE Editor
For the Holiday season, Maison Margiela invites you into a ritual of coded revelation: The 12 Days of Margiela. This digital pilgrimage, inspired by an archival Embroidered Cotton Calendar, reinterprets a physical artifact into a sequence of contemplative moments. It is a play on the classic festive countdown, transformed into a profound reflection on the House's foundational language—its numeric coding system. Here, each day, each circled number, becomes a portal, translating a discreet logo into a celebration of a distinct creative universe.
The original calendar, launched in 2009 as part of Line 13 within the "White Objects" series, embodied the Maison's ethos of reappropriation. A functional object—a calendar that, upon its year's conclusion, doubled as a twelve-piece napkin set—it elevated the everyday into a design artifact. Now, this philosophy migrates to the digital sphere. The numeric-coded calendar becomes a new means of connection, a countdown that traces a deliberate path through the Maison’s anatomy, from the artisanal to the accessible, revealing the continuous dialogue between past and present, couture and the ordinary.
At the heart of this journey is the Maison’s iconic numeric system, using numbers 0 to 23 to identify its various Lines. When a number is circled, it corresponds to a specific collection, distinguishing the pieces while meticulously maintaining the focus on Maison Margiela’s collective anonymity. This code is not merely a label; it is a philosophy, a way of privileging the garment over the individual, the idea over the author. The 12 Days unfold this code, one integer at a time, exposing the intricate ecosystem that operates beneath the House’s unified white surface.
The countdown begins with Line 0—the Artisanal Collection on November 30. This is the creative nucleus, the Haute Couture laboratory where deconstruction is first conceived. Originally a line of handcrafted garments, it formally became the Maison’s first Haute Couture collection in 2006, with its debut show in 2012. Every thread of experimentation spun here informs all subsequent collections, making it the genetic blueprint of the Margiela universe. Its origin in 1989 marks the true beginning of the coded odyssey.
The White Label—the Co-Ed Défilé Collection stands apart, the Line without a numeric code. Denoted by its blank white label, it presents a wardrobe conceived from the radical ideas founded in the Artisanal collection, interpreted as coherent ready-to-wear for men and women. It is the bridge between the couture atelier and the contemporary wardrobe, a testament to the wearable philosophy born in Spring Summer 1989.
On December 1, Line 1—The Collection for Women takes focus. This is women’s ready-to-wear in its purest Margiela form, a continuous dialogue of construction and deconstruction applied to garments designed to be lived in. Since its origin in 1998, it has served as a core canvas for the House’s sartorial discourse.
December 2 introduces Line 2, a project of synergy launched as part of Frieze Seoul in 2025. Rooted in fostering unexpected connections, this Line exists to facilitate creative dialogue beyond traditional fashion boundaries, representing the Maison’s evolving, collaborative spirit.
The senses are engaged on December 3 with Line 3—the Collection of Fragrances. This line of perfumes for women and men, launched in 2008 with the iconic Untitled, is perhaps most widely known for the evocative Replica series, bottling moments in time and memory.
Line 4—A Wardrobe for Women follows on December 4. Originating in Spring Summer 2004, this Line is the Maison’s interpretation of the essential female wardrobe. It applies seasonal themes to timeless pieces, with an unwavering focus on rigorous construction, precise fit, exquisite fabrics, and defining details.
December 6 reveals Line 6—MM6, where Maison Margiela codes are translated through a fiercely contemporary lens. Since 1997, MM6 has redefined uniformity through play and versatility, its pieces instantly recognizable by the single horizontal white stitch line visible on the garment’s exterior—a signature reduced to its purest graphic form.
The gaze is framed on December 8 by Line 8—the Eyewear Collection. Including both sunglasses and optical glasses, this Line, born in Spring Summer 2008, has been developed through thoughtful collaborations, first with Mykita and ongoing with Gentle Monster, merging technical innovation with avant-garde aesthetics.
Line 10—The Collection for Men arrives on December 10. Since Spring Summer 1999, this Line has offered men avant-garde, creative, and conceptual garments that are resolutely ready-to-wear, challenging sartorial conventions while providing a distinctive wardrobe.
December 11 presents Line 11—A Collection of Accessories for women and men. Encompassing bags, small leather goods, belts, and jewellery since its 2005 origin, it completes the silhouette with objects that carry the same deconstructed ethos and meticulous craftsmanship.
The countdown nods to its own inspiration on December 13 with Line 13—Objects & Publications. The domain of interiors, installations, and decorative design, originating in 1999, this Line houses recognizable artifacts like the bottle lamps, feather pens, and the very Embroidered Cotton Calendar that inspired this holiday journey.
Line 14—A Wardrobe for Men follows on December 14. Completing the foundation of essentials, this Line, launched in Spring Summer 2005, offers refined, sartorial, and technical garments that build a meticulous and modern masculine wardrobe.
The journey concludes on December 22 with Line 22—A Collection of Shoes. Footwear for women and men finds its origins in the seminal 1988 design of the first Tabi Boot, inspired by traditional Japanese tabi. Formally established as a line in 2005, it remains a pinnacle of the Maison’s transformative approach to design, where a single split toe became an enduring icon.
Thus, The 12 Days of Margiela trace a path through a landscape of coded creativity. From the hand-stitched intimacy of Line 0 to the foundational design of Line 13, from the avant-garde propositions of Line 10 to the iconic footprints of Line 22, each number reveals a chapter in an ongoing narrative where anonymity is the ultimate signature, and every integer tells a story.
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