See a first glimpse of the new film which promises to recount the story behind the four white stitches, and the many hands who worked together to sew them

Text Maisie Skidmore

Ever since its foundation by the eponymous Belgian designer and his business partner Jenny Meirens in 1988, Maison Martin Margiela has been one of fashion’s favourite enigmas. The house’s largely undocumented namesake designer has become the prevailing definition of ‘low-profile’, preferring anonymity – whether in the label’s signature, the ubiquitous and understated four white pick-stitches or his point-blank refusal to give an interview – to the fame often favoured by his contemporaries.

Photography courtesy of Mint Film Office, 2015

The collective pronoun which has long been employed by the house only adds to this elusiveness – and until now, the team behind it has been content to keep it that way. On October 22, 2017, however, 20 years after the house staged its first museum exhibition in the same space, the Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen will host the world premiere of We Margiela, a new documentary created by Rotterdam’s Mint Film Office, which will tell the story of the house’s creation.

Film still courtesy of Mint Film Office, 2015

In it, Meirens, who passed away in July, and members of Margiela’s creative team shed long-awaited light on the inner-workings of this enigmatic organisation, through interviews and archival material, from its creative processes to its unusual philosophy. Here, watch an exclusive trailer for the film, in the run-up to its launch – and stay tuned for more in the weeks to come.

Photography courtesy of Mint Film Office, 2015