Porn again: Emmanuelle inspires Margiela’s first foray into furniture

Milan – Dedicated followers of Maison Martin Margiela will now be able to sit on their favourite designer’s work as well as wear it – as Italian manufacturer Cerutti Baleri introduces Edizioni, a collection of design collaborations, whose first collection is by Maison Martin Margiela.

Two pieces are premiering in Milan. One, ‘Emanuelle’, is a deliciously curved, high-backed armchair that breathes new life into the name of the legendary soft-porn movies. Its shape echoes a similar chair in which the eponymous star lounged in the first film, released in 1974.

The other, ‘Groupe’, is a collection of three chair and chaise shapes joined together to create a singular piece. It is reminiscent of the seating in Maison Martin Margiela stores worldwide.

Evoking the ghostly, spectral forms of a long-abandoned house, with furniture shrouded in dust sheets, the two pieces are swathed in the house’s signature white, loose cotton and linen covers.

These pieces demonstrate how successfully the studio Maison Martin Margiela continues to deliver the aesthetic and strength of the brand, despite Martin Margiela’s retirement – a testament to his skill at creating a functioning studio that eschews celebrity and a focus on the individual.

While ‘Emmanuelle’ is a piece that was begun whilst Margiela was still the head of the maison, and is based upon a chair from his own home, ‘Groupe’ is very much a creation of the new team, inspired by current trends for re-use, reclamation and found objects – as seen in the the Flexthetics inspire trend.