Maison Margiela Will Show In Shanghai
Above image: A look from Margiela Artisanal collection for fall 2025 by Glenn Martens.
Maison Margiela is taking its signature subversion global once again — this time with a sweeping, two-week cultural takeover across China, anchored by its Fall 2026 coed runway show in Shanghai on April 1. Yes, April Fool’s Day — and according to CEO Gaetano Sciuto, that’s entirely the point.
“April 1 fits very well with our personality,” Sciuto shared in a recent interview, framing the move as both playful and pointed. While many European houses are staging destination spectacles in the U.S., Margiela is turning its focus eastward, investing deeply in a market it sees as both young and full of untapped potential.
The Shanghai show is just one chapter of a larger initiative titled “Maison Margiela/Folders,” described as the house’s most ambitious global brand moment to date. Designed to unpack and amplify the maison’s DNA, the program spans four cities — Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, and Shenzhen — each spotlighting a different code embedded in Margiela’s legacy.
In Shanghai, a weeklong exhibition will trace the evolution of the house’s Artisanal couture from 1989 through 2025, culminating in Glenn Martens’ runway debut. The showcase bridges the founding ethos of Martin Margiela with Martens’ contemporary reinterpretation, reinforcing the tension between heritage and disruption that defines the brand.
Beijing will host an exhibition exploring anonymity — a cornerstone of the Margiela mythos. From Martin Margiela’s famously elusive public persona to the face-obscuring masks that became runway signatures, the show revisits the radical idea that clothing, not celebrity, should take center stage.
In Chengdu, the spotlight turns to one of fashion’s most polarizing silhouettes: the Tabi. The split-toe shoe, introduced in 1988 and now a cult icon, will be reimagined through collections curated by ten Margiela enthusiasts, underscoring its enduring cultural resonance.
Meanwhile, Shenzhen will host a two-day immersive activation rooted in transformation. Guests are invited to bring their own garments and customize them with white paint — a nod to the house’s long-standing practice of coating everyday objects, from furniture to footwear, in stark, conceptual white since the late ’80s. It’s participatory, democratic, and unmistakably Margiela.
In a move that feels almost radical in its transparency, the brand will also upload digital “folders” related to the entire project onto Dropbox, making internal documentation — from model call sheets to shipping logistics — accessible to the public. “Honestly, I don’t think any brand ever did that,” Sciuto said. “To basically open our archives and our files to show how the project came about.” The gesture reframes exclusivity in the digital age, inviting global audiences behind the curtain.
Though Margiela only officially entered the Chinese market in 2019, it has rapidly expanded to 26 standalone stores. Still, Sciuto acknowledges the brand remains in its early chapters there. “We’re a very young brand in China,” he noted. “I don’t think we spent enough time educating on what Margiela is — and I think it’s important. People want to understand the values of the brand they’re buying.”
That education appears to be resonating with a distinctly young, female-driven clientele, with ready-to-wear and footwear leading sales.
On the runway, the Fall 2026 collection will introduce key accessories, including a new Box bag, alongside an expanded family of “Heel-less” shoes — concealed wedges and hidden heels designed by Martens, inspired by archival Martin-era concepts.
True to form, Margiela isn’t just staging a show — it’s staging a conversation. And whether you’re in favor or not, as Sciuto suggests, you’ll likely have an opinion.
Photo Credit: Arnaud Lajeunie/Courtesy of Maison Marigela
