At first glance, MM6 Maison Margiela’s latest runway show for Pitti Uomo is monolithically dark. Set against the botanical glasshouse of Florence’s Giardino dell’Orticoltura, the collection’s edginess cascades through. Colorways of burgundy and black cast shadows of evening gloom, and industrial shine trench coats warn of lethally stylish doom.  Upon closer inspection, however, the line is a systematically constructed spectrum of retro-style flamboyance and tailored attitude.

To put it not so simply, MM6 calls the show “a sensual vision of the man as both the subject and the object of desire, with signature insouciance and a blunt Venus in Fur stamp.”  

There’s a lot to unpack in that, and we may never know exactly what goes on in the prolifically inventive minds of Maison Margiela’s diffusion line, but we can appreciate a sartorial paradox of systematic disorder.   

With all the sensuality of ‘70s disco sleaze and all the filthy suave of ‘90s grunge, MM6’s latest line boasts traditional pieces with a shimmering bravado. Bombers and suits are crafted with fibers reminiscent of gaffer tape, and industrial shine trench coats spotlight the collection’s distinctively man-made textures and materials. Car coats are rubberized and trousers are plastified, while collar tips and faux fur serve as time-honored embellishments.

For its highly stylized Pagoda shoulders and star-studded prints, MM6 relied on the flashy genius of ‘40s jazz musician and composer Miles Davis, also accredited for stringing liquid gold out of his trumpet.

A little bit disco chic (have you seen that electric blue suit) and a little bit rock’n’roll, models sported slicked-back, greaser style hair and eyes rimmed in kohl-black liner.  

The accessories include square and round toed spazzolato loafers ー there’s that aforementioned tradition ー as well as velcro strapped hi-tops. Gloved hands clasp trumpet bags and biker cases, and found jewelry pieces are sprinkled throughout. Just like their sartorial counterparts, each accessory functions as a piece repeated in different materials and textures. Super systematic.