From €300,000 Tabis to Barbie Clothes: Inside the Sale of Martin Margiela’s Personal Archive

Earnings totaled over €1.3 million, with a portion of the profits going to AIDS charities. Hopeful buyers could bid on objects of Martin Margiela’s, from his designs for the Canette d’Or in Antwerp in 1984 all the way through to 2008, when he decided to quit Maison Martin Margiela for personal projects. There were even some items up for bid that he created during the pandemic. The lots featured toiles, Barbie clothes, and early prototypes alongside photographs, sketches, books, and DVDs. Some of the more niche ephemera included champagne corks from the opening of his first Paris boutique and his personal phone, painted white with his number written on the side so he wouldn’t forget it. (Pirson warned bidders that the number no longer works.)

“We had strong results, considering it is a very conceptual sale,” says Pirson. “You can’t wear most of it.”

The lack of wearability did not deter serious fashion collectors like Jean-Denis Franoux, who runs Paris-based fashion archive, Regarderobes. He took home a few collectible pieces, including an early sketch from the Canette d’Or and a sundial ring necklace from the SS91 “Garage” collection. “It was important to see and feel Martin’s legacy,” he said. “It’s a piece of history, what was shown today. Each piece for me is like a treasure, so it will go in a glass box.”

Photo: Niña Slavcheva

For Liam Neupert, 24, however, who flew from New York to Paris for the first time to attend this auction, Margiela’s designs are meant to be worn. They bought a pair of SS02 Tabi mules that happened to be in their size. “I think that the whole reason we make clothes is for them to be adored and cherished, and I believe that is every designer’s greatest wish, so I’ll continue to do that for Martin,” they said.

Given that a portion of the profits will be donated to AIDS foundations, one of the auction’s most meaningful pieces was a purple velvet badge from the FW99 collection printed with AIDS helplines and a quote reading, ‘There is more action to be taken than to wear this badge, but it is a good start.’ Conor O’Driscol, 24, who also came to Paris from New York for the auction, was thrilled to take this piece home. “The AIDS pin was something that I really, really wanted,” he said. “It’s very meaningful, especially knowing it was part of Martin’s personal archive.”