Maison Margiela launches Line 2 art project

Maison Margiela has enriched its brand universe with a project based on art and culture collaborations. For the label owned by Italian group OTB, featuring Glenn Martens as creative director, the project is a way of diversifying while forging closer links with the art world, as many other labels are doing. The project is called ‘Line 2’, as the number two hadn’t yet been utilised in the line numbering system introduced by founder Martin Margiela in 1997, which goes from 0 to 23.

In a press release, Maison Margiela said that “the number 2 has been chosen to reflect the line’s double collaboration principle, and the notion of combining two minds to generate a new creation. Based on this idea, the events developed under the aegis of Maison Margiela Line 2 feature a symbolic relationship with the number 2, which is represented by means of dates, time markers, visual codes, etc.”

Line 2 therefore doesn’t consist of clothes, but of artistic collaborations that “will take shape in a variety of formats like art installations, conferences, communication campaigns, etc.”

Maison Margiela’s first Line 2 project has been developed in the label’s Hannam flagship store in Seoul, South Korea. It consists of a series of art installations created in collaboration with Korean artists Heemin Chung (for the visuals) and Joyul (for the sound elements). The immersive installation is called ‘Elsewhere, Rhema, Open Torso’ and is inspired by the themes of Maison Margiela’s Fall/Winter 2025 collection. It refers to memories and transformations, via several sculptures and a jungle-like atmosphere. It will be visible in-store from September 3 to 28.

Maison Margiela’s new Line 2 project is perfectly consistent with the new landscape emerging on the luxury market, characterised by experiences and cultural contributions. It enables labels to broaden their horizons, offering experiential initiatives to their customers and elevating their brand image. Heemin Chung had been involved in a similar project with LVMH-owned perfume brand Guerlain last year. And South Korea isn’t a random choice on Maison Margiela’s part: this year, luxury labels have been staging a plethora of initiatives in Asia, a growth market for the high-end sector.