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Limited Edition Reprint (2021)
Limited Edition Reprint (2021)
Transparent wrap designed by Paul Boudens
On the occasion of our 20th anniversary, A Magazine presents a limited-edition reprint of
A Magazine Curated By Maison Martin Margiela. Originally released in 2004, this project can be traced back to the Belgian origins of A Magazine, which was founded in Antwerp by Walter Van Beirendonck in 2001.
After the magazines N°A, N°B, N°C, N°D and N°E, A Magazine Curated By Maison Martin Margiela was the first ever issue to bear the ‘Curated By’ title, and is a testament to this core concept thanks to Martin Margiela’s insightful mix of collaborators and projects that unveils many key names working quietly behind-the-scenes as parts of his anonymous fashion collective. Though not a single contribution bears his name, every page is imbued with the essence of the Maison, with written recounts via fax and photocopy as well as photographic and artistic projects by permanent staff members, trainees, assistants, models, artists, photographers, musicians, set designers and filmmakers.
Nearly two decades after its original release, the issue remains a bold statement that acknowledges the season-less, timeless nature of A Magazine. As a cult and collectible object in the realm of printed matter, it is a testament to the ongoing relevance of the founding ideals of the Maison Martin Margiela: from the deconstruction of garment-making and the disruption of classical ideals in photography, to such phenomena as street casting, unconventional beauty, subversive communication, and a Dadaist approach to the very concept of fashion and object design.
The 2021 edition is an identical reprint of the original magazine with matched paper stock and cover treatments, with all original content preserved.
supporting Sea Watch & RIACE
Anders Edström
Jonathan Hallam
Ola Rindal & Paul Helbers
Ronald Stoops & Inge Grognard
Marina Faust
Mark Borthwick
Accompanying the issue, a selection of 6 archival images from Mark Borthwick, Anders Edström, Marina Faust, Jonathan Hallam, Ola Rindal and Ronald Stoops have been issued as 240 x 180mm unsigned prints.
A charitable donation to Sea Watch and RIACE France has been made in their name, reflecting the commitment of A Publisher to the cause of migrants and refugees in the Mediterranean Sea, and their integration into the European community.
Each copy contains a single print placed at random – in the spirit of the Maison Martin Margiela.
SELECTED CONTRIBUTORS IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER:
Åbäke, Ali Mahdavi, BLESS, Bob Verhelst, Claudia Riedel, David Ballu,Dorothee Perret, Elisabeth Broekaert, Eric Traoré, Frank Pay, Gerdi Esch, Hilde Bouchez, Hilde Decock,Inge Grognard, Jacques Habbah, Jane Birkin, Jonathan Hallam, Julian House, Kanako B. Koga, Katerina Jebb, Kristina De Coninck, Kyoichi Tsuzuki, Laurence Passera, Laurent Mercier, Lutz Huelle, Marina Faust, Mark Borthwick, Nigel Bennett, Nigel Scott, Ola Rindal, Patrick Scallon, Paul Boudens, Paul Helbers, Peter Pilotto, Pierre Gayte, Ronald Stoops, Roxane Danset, Sébastien Meunier, Sherald Lamden, Tetsuya Kitayama, Violeta Sanchez, Yung
I’m drawn to the books by their cover, their texture and design; it must catch my eye instantly for me to pick it up. I need a book to intrigue me! I like to spend the whole day reading through my initial selection, as there might be books by many artists I don’t know yet. I can spend more than two hours in a single bookstore, checking every book until I am exhausted. Then I go sit down and get a coffee. And then come back to it again.
‘There’s a relationship between chairs and clothing. Clothes and chairs are objects that function for the body. Each chair is different: even ones made of the same material, the interpretation might be completely different. Like here at this table, all the chairs are made of wood, but each has been designed and treated in a unique way by the designer who made them. For me there’s a link between this and say a pattern for a shirt, where each designer interprets the same thing differently.’
‘We don’t fight.’ The statement is delivered without emphasis, simply as fact. In fashion, volatility is reframed as creative energy. Raised voices, late pivots, visible intensity — these are common. Encouraged, even. But Awa Malina Stelter and Stephanie Gundelach, the founders of Opera Sport, are not interested in that way of working.
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