Martin Margiela Walks Away From Namesake Fashion House

Filed Under: Fashion Smashion Business Blitz Collection's Bureau

Maybe this is why he's selling some of his designs!

Avante-garde designer Martin Margiela has tiptoed out of his namesake fashion house, which has been owned by Diesel since 2002. Interestingly, the label is choosing not to replace the iconic designer.

Giovanni Pungetti, CEO of Maison Martin Margiela, said, "We want to stay avante-garde and provocative, but without a new creative director. It's a challenge. We know this. We will probably make mistakes, but the most important thing is to learn from them."

Instead, the house will rely on the creative team of 28 people that Margiela built over the past 20 years.

Pungetti went on to say that, "It would have been very simple to hire someone else, and we evaluated that option, but in the end, what is important is the taste of the designer."

Over span of his 20-year career at Maison Martin Margiela, Margiela made himself something of a mystique, never showing his face and rarely ever making public appearances, even at his fashion shows.

Pungetti insists that rumors of bad blood within the company are complete fabrications and that Margiela's departure was amicable, and is viewed as something of a retirement.

This is really interesting. If Maison Martin Margiela remains successful without its namesake, this could change the name of the game in the fashion industry; the current business model is to replace the original designer with another recognizable name. If the creative team manages to produce the same quality work without someone leading the show, other houses would likely follow suit.

Only time will tell if it works!

[Image via AP Images.]

Posted: December 9, 2009 at 11:30 am