The auction dedicated to Martin Margiela’s personal archives concluded yesterday in Paris—an event we had already previewed in recent days and which marked a new chapter in the history of fashion collecting. Organized by Maurice Auction in collaboration with Kerry Taylor Auctions, the sale brought in a total of 1,385,020 euros, with 100% of the lots sold. Among the standout items at the auction—as we had noted when the sale was announced— the Tabi boots are one of the most iconic elements of Martin Margiela’s design language: created in 1988 and inspired by traditional Japanese footwear with its characteristic separation between the big toe and the other toes, they have become one of the most recognizable symbols of contemporary fashion over time.
What captivated audiences and international collectors was a pair of hand-painted Tabi boots from 1991, created for the exhibition “Le monde selon ses créateurs” at the Palais Galliera. The pair sold for 364,000 euros, setting a new world record for the fashion house. The auction was preceded by a five-day exhibition at Quartier Général, in the heart of Paris, which attracted visitors and enthusiasts from around the world. More than 1,500 collectors of 41 nationalities participated in the sale, with a particularly significant presence of Asian buyers, confirming the growing international interest in the Belgian designer’s work. But the auction also stood out for the types of pieces that caught collectors’ attention. Among the most sought-after lots were a white-painted rotary-dial telephone from 1988, which sold for 13,000 euros; a Hermès “Initials” bag, designed by Martin Margiela in 2002, which sold for 44,200 euros; and a white shirt that belonged to the designer himself, dated between 1988 and 2008, which sold for 41,600 euros. “Organizing this sale and working alongside the designer was an exceptional project, one destined to leave a lasting mark,” said Salomé Pirson, auctioneer at Maurice Auction, according to the MFF article.
The event thus offered an immersion into Martin Margiela’s creative universe; although organized for commercial purposes, it brought together in a single space documents, prototypes, personal items, and research materials that shed light on the design process of one of the most influential designers in contemporary fashion.
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