intellectual knits

'October '92: Two different scenes. Same time. Concept (one of many): Jenny Meirens, the second essential and one heart and mind of the company. Disorientation. People are angry. They can't have it all. Colour: white. The women walk barefoot through the crowds. A small branch of fresh green box leaves is hanging from their necks. Even their eyelashes are white. It's peaceful and strange. They look like renaissance hippies of the future wearing dusty antique velvet and brocade jackets. The sleeves are too long, as always, the shapes tight. The bodies seem totally at ease in their costumes. Woodstock revisited with ophelia. Heavy metal bracelets decorate their upper arms. Later I hear that the other show was all black.'

'Spring '93. New York. Downtown Manhattan. I walk into a coffee shop. A young man is leading me to the table: “Is this a Martin Margiela jacket?” “Yes it is.”. “Oh, its wonderful!” That was swift and sensitive, especially amoung a rushing crowd of hungry people. America. Undoubtedly he has become the hero. As for myself it adapts harmoniously to me and what is mine…which actually provokes occasional encounters with Margiela fans as if wewere complicit mutants from that very special planet.'

'October '93: Choose the best of five years dye the whole thing, put it into an ex- supermarket and show it again. Interrupt the flux. Don't go with it. don't feed the ferocious hunger. Resist. It works. I want a second set of every piece in grey. There is a structured thought behind every presentation. It is always intelligent.'

'March '95: Veils cover the women's faces. They are walking between benches. The circus is packed. The record is scripted. Disconcerting interuptus aspect of the show. The colours of the outfits change very subtly from black to brown to pink and hype fuchsia. Zip an overall up your body from ankle to the neck. Throw a fur collar over your t shirt. Slide long leather sleeves up your arms. They were gloves before but the hands are gone. Music switch. sixty-nine women take their veils off. Hundreds of fuchsia balloons fill the circus. One balloon travels on the wind back home with me.'

'Spring '96: I am wearing a photographed coat, a coat of my photograph… Margiela recycles the recycled and himself. A picture of a vintage or o a margiela dress, of a jacket or a shirt is printed on different fabric and on a different pattern. Self appropriation. A woollen sweater becomes a nylon t shirt. A heavy coat becomes a light one. A dress becomes another dress, you have the same dress two times but not at all. Confusion. People want to touch the buttons but they can't. Illusion.'

Paris, August 1996- Marina Faust.

[Mohair, installation at maison martin margiela project space by Marina Faust, Ebisu, Tokyo, 2007]