Combining avant-garde design and craftsmanship, Maison Margiela and Gentle Monster present their latest eyewear collaboration
Words DILETTA MARSILI
I am sure many have seen the movie “I, Robot” starring Will Smith and all the rogue robots that populate this dystopian world of the future and thought to themselves how far removed we can be from this disturbing reality. The truth is that we are not that far away from this atmosphere, especially when you look at the new collaboration between Maison Margiela and Gentle Monster, whose main theme is a range of sunglasses with a futuristic look. At first glance, the haute couture house and the brand seem very distant from each other, but once you get past the first impression, it becomes clear that both are united by a passion for free creativity projected into the future. Looking at the collection as a whole, its success is quite understandable, as it is largely due to the shared values of craftsmanship between the two components of the collaboration, but more importantly an exploration of how and why we dress, from memories, familiarity, instincts and gestures that define the way we present ourselves. The general concept of futurism is reinforced by Jordan Hemingway‘s camera, which envelops these sunglasses in a dreamlike atmosphere that transcends time and space as we know it, and which inspired the creation of the line from the beginning. The collection comprises ten different eyewear models and seven designs inspired by the theme. The frames are made of acetate and are produced in six different colors: black, white, gray, cream, transparent and tortoiseshell, and with leather frames in black, ivory, khaki and blue. The spearhead of all models is the voluminous frame of the MM101 and MM102 models, exclusively designed by John Galliano, whose shape is reminiscent of a mask. The structure of the glasses encloses the eyes, nose and temples and gives the wearer an aerodynamic shape. To give these two models even more prestige, the sunglasses are presented in a silver Glam Slam case, distinguishing them from the other glasses, which are presented in a white Glam Slam case.
Of course, we know the launch date of the collection, which, unlike the style of the frames, is not too far in the future, and it is March 7, 2024.
In addition, five pop-up stores will be opened exclusively for the presentation and sale of this collection, in Korea, China, Japan and the USA. Being futuristic means being cool, and this collection is proof of that.
