The MM6 show venue today exuded an unexpected elegance. The carpeted, hushed space, bathed in soft light, felt strangely comforting. Backstage, conversing with the design collective’s spokesperson, it all clicked into place. Moodboard images referenced Martin Margiela’s Hermès years (1997 to 2003), evoking the calm, purity, and minimalistic chic of those collections. This quiet luxury, devoid of logos, would have seamlessly fit within today’s counterintuitive salon-like atmosphere.

While MM6 won’t venture into couture anytime soon, an elevated sensibility permeated its fall repertoire. The plunging neckline of an elongated waistcoat/tunic paid homage to Margiela’s deep V-neck blouse for Hermès. By decoding the French house’s established codes, the design team achieved a classy, effortlessly dressy aesthetic. Abstract rectangular modules, suspended from horizontal shoulder pads, transformed into elongated or fitted silhouettes—tops, ultra-mini dresses, and tailored skirt suits.

Interestingly, the rectangular shape echoed the pillowcases from the Veneto hotel bedrooms where the design team often stays during work trips to Italy. These motifs, reprised on sweaters and tops, infused a sense of lived reality and love into their creations. The MM6 collection hinted at abstract softness, as if the house codes were embracing an astute, subtly sexy elegance. Through the clever lenses of the MM6 design team, reality transcends banality.