On paper, the appointment of John Galliano as the new Creative Director of Maison Martin Margiela is one of the most unlikely in fashion history. Margiela is the eponymous fashion house built by the elusive Belgian designer; an avant-garde reaction to the maximalist culture of the 1980s. With his unique brand of minimalism and label-less garments, the designer created a cult following based around anonymity and cultural iconoclasm. On the other hand, Galliano is a romancier as obsessed with excess as he seemingly is with his own public image, to the extent that his finale walk often garnered more column inches than the collections themselves. Unsurprisingly, the fashion world waited with bated breath to see the grand unveiling of Galliano's debut Artisanal showing for the house, so much so that the event even spawned its own hashtag, #MargielaMonday. So, the question remains; was it worth the wait?
