Trust The Process: MM6 Maison Margiela & Salomon
Adaptations In Utility
Words by Madison Killough
Since its launch at MM6 Maison Margiela’s AW22 show, the collaboration between MM6 and Salomon has consistently delivered innovative, functional, and wearable pieces. The partnership not only resonates within contemporary culture, as evidenced by its many sold-out releases, but also occupies a conceptual space that plays with the longstanding design notion of form versus function. An emphasis on function, while always in flux, is increasingly appealing to consumers as the outdoors (and its required functionality) offer a grounding alternative to our oversaturated hyper-digital world. By hybridising fashion and utility, their series of collaborations have been progressive, with each one building on the last.
Founded in 1988 by Belgian designer Martin Margiela, Maison Margiela is renowned for its avant-garde and deconstructivist approach to design. The brand’s techniques in construction, materials, and silhouettes consistently blur the lines between art and fashion. MM6, which launched in 1997, acts as its more casual counterpart – offering a more accessible yet still experimental take on the house’s conceptual ethos.
While the partnership with Salomon may feel like a new direction for Maison Margiela, the incorporation of utility-based elements is embedded in the brand’s history. The most obvious adaptation is seen in their coveted Tabi Boot – which features the split-toe tabi found in traditional Japanese workwear. This design, which traditionally promoted balance by separating the big toe, also stimulates pressure points on the foot to promote mental clarity – much like the effect of spending time outdoors. The brand has also paid homage to the 1970s German Army Trainer with their archetypal Replica sneaker, which features a classic gum sole with a leather and suede upper.
Salomon, like Maison Margiela, has maintained a strong emphasis on construction and material innovation since its inception in 1947 as a sports experience brand. The brand originated when the Salomon family pivoted from operating a sawmill to engineering high-performance ski parts as a reaction to the rise of alpine sports in the French Alps. Their binding technology would become internationally renowned by the 1970s, leading to a natural expansion into ski boots and apparel a decade later. In the 1990s, their expertise in designing for extreme conditions was translated into hiking footwear. Further advancements in performance technology (such as the Quicklace ® System and Profeel TPU film overlays) came after acquisitions by Adidas and Amer Sports in the early 2000s. Their continued expansion would lead to the launch of their Sportstyle category in 2016 which includes all-terrain staples like the XT-4, ACS Pro, and Speedcross.
In recent years, the Salomon XT-4 sneaker, originally designed for trail running and hiking expeditions, has become one of the most popular footwear choices in the fashion world, thanks to its futuristic, utilitarian design. As a result, the sneaker has been the focus of collaborations with brands such as Comme des Garçons, Palace, Sandy Liang, and now Maison Margiela – further solidifying the sneaker's place in fashion.
The partnership between the two brands, which launched at MM6 Maison Margiela’s AW22 show, was described with the statement, “drawing from a shared admiration for transitional design, Salomon’s iconic pieces undergo a captivating transformation through the lens of MM6 Maison Margiela.” This approach, which blends MM6 Maison Margiela’s conceptual perspective with Salomon’s performance technology has resulted in pieces that push the boundaries of contemporary design. Here, both brands bring their distinct yet innovative approaches to form and materiality, developing garments that interact with the body aesthetically and functionally. Beginning with reimagined versions of Salomon’s Cross and Low models, each piece stands out for its aesthetic innovation and authentic utility.
Cross Wader
At the peak of the collaboration’s conceptual evolution is the Cross Wader. The shoe, available in both black and off-white, blends Salomon’s high-grip utility soles with skin-tight knee-high socks crafted from ultra-smooth lycra jersey. By balancing soft and hard elements in its materials, and unconventionally pairing a thigh-high silhouette with a performance sole, this piece presents a futuristic interpretation of MM6 Maison Margiela’s irreverent aesthetic.
Cross Mid
The Cross Mid, which launched as part of MM6 Maison Margiela’s AW2023 collection, is a reinterpretation of Salomon’s ‘Cross’ line, originally modelled for navigating tough terrain. Departing from the visually snug fit seen in its predecessors, the Cross Mid prioritises comprehensive coverage, courtesy of a nylon waterproof gaiter secured by a toggle switch system and inner slip-on shoe. Its robust, rugged outsole offers additional grip and traction, while its Energy Cell Plus sole provides enhanced comfort. With its shrouded gaiter and substantial sole, alongside its variety of colour-ways, the shoe diverges from the traditional Salomon silhouette with its distinctive structure and an adapted utility.
Salomon Cross High
A more subtle adaptation, the Cross High (which was one of the first collaboration pieces) features an ankle-high silhouette with a standard hug to the foot. Crafted from a ripstop and suede upper, this model features Salomon’s signature Quicklace™ system, a pull-tab at the heel, an embossed logo, a white logo print, and a redesigned lug and block heel in black and white. Most impactful is its blanketed black or red shape, with its contrasted white or pink heeled sole.
Salomon XT-4 Mule
Recently, the Salomon XT-4 Mule has been released in multiple colourways, after having been teased in MM6 Maison Margiela’s 2024 Resort preview. The shoe is a blunt reshaping of Salomon’s XT-4 sneaker, featuring cut-off heels and a stamped toe box imprinted with Maison Margiela’s numerical graphic (which has been around since the 80s). While this iteration lends itself more to form than function, the design offers a fresh take on the French outdoor sports brand’s standard silhouette, blending avant-garde sensibilities with outdoor technology.
X-ALP
The MM6 Maison Margiela x Salomon X-ALP, which is the latest release from the ongoing collaboration, is one of the collaboration's more modest adaptations. Salomon has stated that the paired-down design was intended to "[tone] down the details to focus on the cool aerodynamic shape" while maintaining its original silhouette. An austere modification of Salomon’s archival X-ALP, the shoe is available in all-black and cream-and-black colorways and features a thick rubber toe guard, swooping midfoot overlay, branding on the insole and tongue, and a Contagrip mud tread.
Beyond footwear, the collaboration has introduced a variety of hybridised trail running accessories – including the black XT-15 backpack (which features a chest-fastening design and two zip pockets seamlessly integrated into the straps), the transitional ADV Skin 5 running vest, and merino-blend socks that are both plush and breathable.
Reflecting the distinct aesthetics of both brands, each piece from their ongoing collaboration merges MM6 Maison Margiela’s deconstructivist approach with Salomon’s technical expertise, uniting their radical approaches to form and materiality. With each release comes varied conceptual adaptations – from subtle adjustments to classic Salomon styles like the Cross High, to unexpected yet authentic modifications exemplified by the Cross Wader, and deconstructive elements as seen in the XT-4 Mule. Collectively, the pieces merge fashion with utility wear, balancing form and function to create innovative yet wearable design objects.