Maison Martin Margiela Shoes

Whenever I see a particularly interesting or unique shoe, my mind automatically goes to which famous person would wear the shoe first. Imagining a design in someone’s wardrobe helps give it automatic context, and my styling ideas usually start from there.

Perhaps it’s unfair to say that only Kanye West could love the Maison Martin Margiela Metallic Flat Sneaker, but he’d certainly be the first celebrity or fashion person in line for them. It doesn’t matter that they’re made for women – Yeezy will cross gender lines for something he likes (he has in the past for Celine ready-to-wear), and these shoes are right up his alley.

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For some reason, I have a very difficult time distinguishing between copper and rose gold when it comes to clothing items. When I first laid eyes on the sublime Maison Martin Margiela Metallic Oxfords, my immediate thought was, “Oh my, rose gold mirror patent oxfords. I MUST HAVE THEM.” Margiela and Saks, however, call them copper.

Rose gold seems light years more luxurious to me, even though there’s not a qualitative difference unless we’re talking about the actual metal. For that reason, I’m going to go right on thinking that these delightful little lace-ups are the color that I first assumed them to be.

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Maison Martin Margiela Degrade Patent and Suede Brogues, $795 via Net-a-Porter.

Usually when a fashion piece starts as one thing but slowly makes its way into a completely different ending, the attribute we’re referring to is color. Ombre, degrade – they almost always point toward a gradual change in hue. Because Maison Martin Margiela doesn’t like to do anything the normal way, though, the Maison Martin Margiela Degrade Patent and Suede Brogues start off as black patent and end up as black suede, a gimmick that has me very curious.

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Maison Martin Margiela Open Toe Pumps, $855 via Saks. Maison Martin Margiela Open Toe Strappy Pumps, $930 via Saks.

Usually, when dealing with a shoe that calls itself “open toe,” that means it’s open from the front. As has come to be expected from Maison Martin Margiela, though, the Maison Martin Margiela Open Toe Pumps take that idea and turn it on its head, opening the shoe from the top instead of expose a glittering sandal strap. The end result looks sort of like the top of the shoe’s vamp got accidentally sliced off during manufacturing, but I’m betting that’s all part of the plan.

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Sequins have been having an extended moment over the past few seasons, and the more people who churn out sequin products, the more obvious it is that it’s actually quite difficult to make a sequined object of any sort look high-end and expensive. Sequins are usually plastic or foil, after all, and those aren’t usually materials with which you associate high-dollar clothing. These sequins, though? They’re metallic leather.

Dare I say, though, that the Maison Martin Margiela Leather Paillette Slouch Booties have done it? They’ve taken a slouchy leather bootie that has been very successful for Margiela in the past and covered it with tonal, subtly shiny leather “sequins,” and the end result is a shoe that could be worn as a pump in reasonable weather. Also, it must be mentioned, part of this shoe’s success comes from using the classy “paillettes” in stead of the crass “sequins.” It’s all psychological, people.

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The great thing about fashion is that even if one trend isn’t your proverbial cup of tea, a new and diametrically opposite trend will usually come along immediately afterward to offer itself up for those left out by what preceded it. For those of you who joined me in hating the chunktastic platforms that will be dotting retail stores this spring, I’d like to offer up the Maison Martin Margiela Hook Buckle Flat Sandals.

Lanvin and Chloe showed similar flat sandals on this season’s runways, but at less than half the price of a pair of black leather Lanvins, these Margielas are certainly a great alternative if you’re looking to add an industrial edge to your everyday footwear.

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