What the Maison Margiela S/S 2024 Show Can Teach You About Your Brand

I can't tell you the number of times I've pinned one of John Galliano's iconic looks on Pinterest over the years. As you can imagine, my 1920s Gothic board is crawling with his influence.

I mean...just LOOK at this. From the makeup to the maximalist adornments, this look is stunning.

John Galliano for Dior Fall/Winter 2009

And I can't forget another one of my favorites. This photo truly is everything.

John Galliano's Fall 2007 Ready-To-Wear Collection

With 20s and 30s influences, nods to Victorian-era silhouettes, the duality of light and dark, and a healthy dose of whimsy, his collections/art/shows speak to me. Somehow he pulls all of my interests out of my head and spins them together in the perfect juxtaposition.

So, it doesn't come as a surprise to me that his Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 Artisanal show is gaining so much traction.

Even those who have had little interest in fashion before are paying attention.

No - it's more than that. They're feeling inspired.

For good reason.

It was visceral. It held a haunting quality, something otherworldly. And despite - or in spite - of its eccentricities...it was beautiful to a variety of people. Somehow appealing both to those who are drawn to the historical-grunge, dreamlike quality of his designs and those who prefer the mundane.

His runway shows aren't simple displays of clothing, but immersive experiences that transport the audience to a different era, a different realm.

Because it's not just the clothes. It's the music, the set design, the makeup, the characters, the movements, and the FEELINGS it all evokes.

This recent runway show is not, however, why I'm here typing away at my computer, pausing only to admire photos of my favorite Galliano collections of the past.

I read this quote by Alexander Fury for AnOther Magazine, and knew I needed to appreciate and share it.

"You could extract these Galliano clothes entirely from their setting, plonk them down in an antiseptic white box, and they still would have been unbelievable feats of design. Within this context, however, they became something else – something greater and grander, something transportive.

Galliano at his very best has that rare gift – his shows are fantasies, where, rather than being a passive observer, the audience becomes embedded in the action, active participants in their own fever-dream. Smelling the air, sensing the fabric, feeling everything.

The clothes are the tangible, achievable take-home from the experience – like an aide-mémoire, or maybe a postcard. Less ‘Wish You Were Here’, more ‘Wish We Were Still There’. The audience roared their approval, stamped their feet, begged for more."

I want to embed this into every business owner's mind!

And because of how polarizing the Maison Margiela show was, I think this reference can help me explain it better than I ever have before.

Your products and services aren't the only thing you're selling. They're only a small part - the souvenir.

What you're actually selling, what you're actually offering to your customers, is an entire experience.

A world in which they feel seen, understood, appreciated, and celebrated for being exactly who they are!

This is why I say your brand should transport your customers into a new realm.

Why I've talked about how imperative immersive experiences are to creating a lifestyle brand.

Or why I've recommended throwing a themed party if you truly want to understand how to operate a brand that keeps customers engaged and excited for more.

I want you to fall soooo deeply into your brand that it FEELS like your own version of the Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2024 Artisanal show.

Something esoteric and riveting. Something that attracts - and holds - the attention of the people that just GET it.

How can you engage all of your customer's senses (yes, even as an online business)?  How can you keep them entertained?

How can you help them become the person they've always desired to be?

What would your brand look like if you stopped holding back and went all in??

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Maximalist. Gothic. Magical. Romantic.

I design dreamy & rebellious lifestyle brands for misfits like you!

If you're ready to break the rules to craft a brand that feels like you and celebrates your customers...click here.