A Journey into the Surreal

Maison Martin Margiela's runway show was startling. The throne of Surreal Fashion has had many challengers with the likes of Hussein Chalayan, Alexander McQueen, Jean Paul Gaultier, John Galliano and Yohji Yamamoto competing for the crown and sceptre. I think they might have found their new King.

Before you scroll down and see Margiela's creations, let me caution you to reprogram. If you think fashion has to be wearable, you will probably hate this collection. If you think there is a realm of fashion that belongs purely to the category of Art, then you might like this collection a lot. None of this is probably wearable in any pragmatic sense. My additional caution is this: you might feel like you just got dropped into the nightmare visions of the serial killer in the film The Cell.

I find the images to be oddly expansive, focusing on a breadth of ideas that I can barely get my head around. I appreciate Margiela's art. It is spectacular and inventive.

Are you ready?

Let's go:







I have to wonder...do the carpets match the drapes?



A familiar object at last! Cowboy boots!



Giving whole new meaning to the term hairshirt.


Cousin It is looking pretty fly in that sparkly cape.


Bondage gear meets the ultimate in seatbelts-as-accessories.



A wicked camel toe AND a pet funnel? This look is one of the most confusing of them all.














This image is so stark and lonely. Is he saying that the more we erase our identities and individuality, the more separated we become? I don't know.



Some spiffy trompe-l'œil.







Zaphod Beeblebrox's bride?




"Come play with us."


I swear I have that same pair of wax lips somewhere from last Halloween.


I thought the effect of this was stunning.




You may be wondering why I was making jokes throughout this post, but I did it only to bring levity to what were some truly bizarre photos. I mean, I don't want to have nightmares tonight. I guess it's just the extreme oddity of the runway show: the genderless, faceless, models that seem devoid of any humanity at all that can be terrifying to think about. Yet, I deeply respect what Margiela was able to pull off here as it was dauntingly creative and unexpected.

This collection wins Post-Modern Runway Collection of the Year Award.