How to Wear a Transparent Margiela Sweater

Most fashion, even from luxury brands, is built to be crowd-pleasing. Every fashion company wants to maximize sales and exposure, and blockbuster designs are non-confrontational and easy-to wear. (Example: The iconic Diane von Furstenberg wrap dress.)

So it’s very inspiring when you find a designer that is more interested in clothes as a concept than as a vehicle to drive sales. These designers, like Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garçons and Rick Owens, are more focused on designs that conjure dreams than blockbuster margins.

Today, I’m celebrating those “problematic” designers by wearing a transparent sweater, which may be the most difficult item of clothing I own.

Sweater: Maison Martin Margiela (Yoox) | Whote Bodysuit Under Sweater: Danskin (Free from Clothing Swap) | Jeans: Madewell | Snakeskin Heels: Tabitha Simmons (Consignment)
Sweater: Maison Martin Margiela | Whote Bodysuit Under Sweater: Danskin (Free from Clothing Swap) | Jeans: Madewell | Snakeskin Heels: Tabitha Simmons (Consignment)

A transparent sweater is challenging to wear, to say the least. (For a point of comparison, here’s how Leandra Medine of Man Repeller wore the sweater with a sports bra.) I chose a white bodysuit, which created a pleasing juxtaposition of skin and sweater.

But this experiment opened a new line of dialogue about what clothes ARE — and what they could be. Margiela designs tend to be uncompromising and unforgiving. You don’t impose your vision on Margiela — the clothes are a statement unto themselves, and you can’t dilute the message. Either you wear a transparent sweater, or you don’t — the clothes offer no escape hatch.

If you look at the brand’s e-commerce site, you’ll also notice that all the models’ eyes are redacted, resembling a declassified CIA dossier. The clothes stand alone — undiluted by the person or personality wearing them. This ethos intrigues and challenges me because it flies in the face of the people-pleasing, factory-made, designed-by-committee clothes churned out by mass retailers.

Denim Jacket: Zara | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Clubmasters
Denim Jacket: Zara | Sunglasses: Ray-Ban Clubmasters

That said, this sweater made me nervous — and not just because it is completely transparent. It also came with a mini-booklet filled with high-maintenance warnings:

  • Remove all jewelry before putting on sweater
  • Do not iron — or wash with anything other than the tears of 200 newborns
  • Attempting to breathe or sneeze near sweater may result in catastrophic snags or tears

If this sweater were a person, it would be Bubble Boy, ensconced in a sphere of protective plastic. Because the sheer material is so delicate, the sweater can’t be exposed to kittens (claws!), engagement rings (those prongs!) or zippered coats (imagine the massacre!).

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In October, Maison Martin Margiela announced it hired John Galliano as its head designer. This is significant for two reasons: It marks Galliano’s return to fashion following a well-documented fall from grace at Dior. Two, this is a HUGE departure for Margiela, which always shrouded its head designers in anonymity.

This sweater is from the non-Galliano era. I’ll be curious to see how the aesthetic changes once Galliano debuts next month — and if Margiela’s “problem child” aesthetic will remain.