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Martin Margiela Sells Part of His Personal Archive in Paris Auction

Margiela personally supervised the sale to place sketches, prototypes, studio objects and roughly 60 Hermès pieces with collectors or institutions as a way to arrange his legacy.

Overview

  • The auction opened on Thursday, July 9, 2026, in Paris with more than 200 lots spanning Margiela’s work from 1984 to 2008.
  • Margiela supervised the dispersal while keeping his customary distance from the public, making the sale a curated act of legacy management by a famously private designer.
  • Highlights offered included original sketches, runway miniatures, atelier objects, the white cotton work coat, prototype face masks and a pair of graffiti-covered Tabi boots once displayed at the Palais Galliera.
  • The public preview drew over 3,000 visitors and bidders included private collectors, museums and strong interest from Japan; results reported during the sale totaled about €1.3 million and the graffiti Tabi boots sold for €364,000.
  • Auctioneers framed the sale as a way to distribute provenance-rich material to institutions and collectors, to support access for museums, and to place parts of Margiela’s story—including roughly 60 Hermès items from his late mother—into public and private collections.