When I first saw this Martin Margiela artisanal bow tie, hand detailed with alternately rusty and shiny brass push tacks, I immediately thought it a thing of beauty. But what I didn't immediately feel was the raw awe that coursed through me when I first set eyes on the blazingly original artisanal pieces of the design house way back when Martin Margiela was still behind its design impetus.
The Maison's bow tie instantly reminded me of Augustine Wong's experiment with safety pins that I wrote about previously.
Sure, the version for the label now under the Diesel group is much more refined and sophisticated. The least you'd expect before handing out £300.
But honestly, I don't feel it added a lot to Augustine's brilliant idea.
I suppose one can expect this.
After a label has lost its soul.
It is really too bad, especially since I expect the Margiela bow tie will sell well to an audience that may not put much stock to the tag "artisanal".
Be sponged off by an eager, wider market that easily forgets – or never actually appreciated – the genius of a design legend.