The magic of a creative process – Maison Margiela

To be able to take part of somebody’s passion for its work, innovative vision and search for various forms of expression is very inspiring.
If that somebody is creative director John Galliano and image maker Nick Knight, captures it on film, the result is rather exalting.

A 50 minute experimental documentary about the making of the AW- 2020 collection at Maison Margiela and the working process of its creative director, John Galliano, invites the viewer inside the house’s usually secretive atelier, to see how Galliano constructs the collection while in lockdown.

Nick Knight uses all sorts of modern technology to capture the creative process with drones, AI, go-pros , Zoom footage and X-ray cameras.

S.W. A. L .K  by Maison Margiela and Nick Knight ( film still)

The fashion film is named S.W.A.L.K (originally meaning sealed with a loving kiss, used by soldiers during the war to send off communication to loved ones) and can be viewed in its entity online here.

Image from Maison Margiela Artisanal Co-Ed Autumn/Winter 2020 Photography by Rob Rusling

John Galliano said in a Vogue interview:
“I very quickly realized that fashion, and the way we had created and presented it, would never be the same again”“It can’t be until some kind of vaccine is found. And as soon as I accepted this reality, I was able to embrace the idea that something new could happen, that we could innovate, be resourceful, and that fired me up again. Nothing’s going to stand in the way of the creative process—I refuse to let that happen!”

Image from Maison Margiela Artisanal Co-Ed Autumn/Winter 2020 Photography by Rob Rusling

In the documentary we see makeupartist Pat McGrath and hairstylist Eugene Souleiman in conversation with Galliano on zoom calls,  having input on hair and makeup for the digital presentation and film.

Screenshot from the documentary. Galliano and McGrath talking about the makeup look.

John Gallianos references for the collection include images from 80´s phenomenon, The Blitz Kids, Sculptures with marble veiling and a vintage matchbox to name a few.

Iconic Blitz Kid Scarlett Cannon  Photo: Derek Ridgers

The Veiled Virgin sculpture by Giovanni Strazza

For Spring Summer 2021 the team did a follow-up   S. W. A. L .K II

Sources:
Another Magazine
VOGUE
Dazed Digital
Showstudio – Knick Knight
Maison Margiela