DUNIA FASHYON: Maison Martin Margiela for H&M: Womenswear (Kuala Lumpur Preview)

We can never get enough of Maison Martin Margiela at Dunia Fashyon. As a matter of fact, if you have been following us back in Hafidzudin’s days in Russia, the label omnipresence in this blog is apparent. Back in those days when he first visited Antwerp to that trip we both made in Paris where I brought him to tag along to the brand iconic headquarter during one of my buying trip - our love and addiction for the label is boundless. The only drawback perhaps, is simply for the lack of monetary advantage to fill our wardrobe with these amazing creations.

As you know, La Maison has announced a collaborative work to be produced together with H&M. Not to sound like a neophobic, but this kind of direction for the house is definitely unexpected, if not shocking. Many self-acclaimed loyalists have issued their dismalness over the decision to the extent of calling it atrocious, cheapening and calling the step as a sign of excessive commercialism. To each their own.

I for one, celebrate this occasion with an open heart. In fact we do think we took it a little bit too extreme by stalking every corner of fashion blogs, websites & magazines just to get a glimpse of information relating to the launch of the celebrated collection.

So it was with great excitement that we received an invite to visit the H&M Press Office last Thursday to preview (and try!!) some of the 104 pieces that will be made available this November 15^th. A friend of mine flew to New York and attended the launch party on the previous day so I was already salivating over the nasty photos he put up on Instagram (all items were already made available for purchase during the event!) So it seemed like the only sensible thing to do was to take a day off of work and visit the showroom for a ‘glimpse and touch’ session, which turned out to be more than what the showroom staff could handle. LOL

First stop, WOMENSWEAR.

ALL the winter coats (I repeat, ALL) are must-haves. From the duvet coat to the oversized pea coat and those leather biker jacket are made to perfection (for a scale of H&M collaboration, that is). You’d be a fool to compare these with the real deal (as all the items in this collection are a re-creation of the main line Maison Martin Margiela dated as early as the 1990s) but the quality equates the price and is a total value for money.

The oversized duvet and pea coat come in One Size meaning there’s no point wasting your time looking for sizes when one is only given TEN MINUTES to peruse over entire 104-piece collection for each shopping session. Somehow with divine intervention, the duvet coat fits me nicely without looking like the Michelin Man. The whole article felt and wrapped exactly like a nice warm duvet and filled with a mix of down & normal feather, which translates – better insulation. In our weather, the coat sure does come handy during laundry day when you only have one duvet and it was raining all day – you can wear this coat to sleep. OK, I kid. Personally I will consider owning this piece but am contemplating on the color as it is prone to collecting a host of odors, fluids, dust, dirt and debris.

Next, the oversized pea coat. If you are tall & skinny then this piece is a must-have. After all, this coat offers the iconic silhouette of early Margiela days – the boyfriend’s jacket. I tried on the piece and breathed a sigh of relief in knowing the intended ‘boyfriend-owned’ silhouette is still achievable on me (perhaps Margiela had the idea that our boyfriends have the figure of an ogre?)

Then there were the leather jacket, the darted sweater and the cut-out jacket. And there were dresses too. I didn’t pay too much attention on them as they were being passed from one hand to another in the showroom (as most us in the room are girls, so…) But all I can say, I love the cut and tailoring but the fabric (crepe silk, I think) is not up to my liking. It will not flatter every figure (it is in the way the fabric falls on your body) so I suggest that you try first before proceeding to pay (afterall, H&M does provide favorable Exhange & Return policy so you can always come back should you have a change of mind after purchase)

Accessories. Accessories. Accessories.

I want them all. But I can hardly fit them all.

Tricky ey?

I can already imagine hordes of people rocking these candy wrapper clutches (available in Pink & Silver) on the next social gathering in KL (perhaps during Urbanscapes 2012?). And I can bet that this will be the most sell-out item comes November 15^th. It is so cute. The size is generous. It is handy. It is what it is.

Next up is the reincarnation of the ambiguous accessories in the shape of wristwatch, leather glove & key ring that altered their function into the form of belts, clutches & necklaces. It was pretty surreal. I remember trying all these pieces in Maison Martin Margiela boutique in Paris and seeing them come in a different form and price range is just surreal.

Then there is this tote bag in supple khaki color with hidden pocket at the front. Yes the bag came in that ‘flattened’ shape which is very tricky and tres Margiela!

If I were a girl with tight budget, the only definite things that I will be getting for myself from this entire collection are these perpex wedges that comes in three amazing colors on patent leather. Most of the girls who tried said the shoes are indeed comfortable and easy to walk in (albeit the absence of platforms). The shoes sure look ‘delicious’ and I love how tricky it gets from afar when you could look like you are painlessly tilting.