Is The Row low-key Referencing Martin Margiela?
Image credit: Vogue Runway
Vogue Runway posted The Row’s Resort 2026 show photos—the one where not only phones were banned again, but this time it was also a first-come, first-serve event. This meant people had to stand, sit on the floor, and even pile on top of each other, according to sources.
This is something Martin Margiela used to do for his shows, especially early in his career. For his Spring/Summer 1991 show, models walked through the middle of the guests because there were no assigned seats–even a carpet or a stage. It was raw and chaotic and Martin loved it that way. I think The Row was aiming for that same effect, except their version was more polished and refined. Their show had some comfortable couches and a cozy carpet where people could sit on.
Then there was the hair covering the models' faces. I immediately thought of Margiela, who did this countless times. His family owned a hair salon that sold wigs, so he often played with hair as a design element, especially for his Fall/Winter 2000-2001 collection—the one where he introduced extreme oversized silhouettes. I’m pretty sure the Olsens love that collection, considering their personal style is all about super oversized clothing.
And then there was the whole “undone” look, as if the models were in the middle of getting ready to go out somewhere. They were all barefoot, wearing cashmere tights—again, another choice that felt very Martin Margiela. He did the same thing for his Spring/Summer 1990 and Spring/Summer 1996 collections. But, of course, Martin was always more brutal and raw with his visual references.
Anyway, I just wanted to point out these Margiela influences in The Row’s super-chic-chicken-broth runway. Nothing against them—I’m the first one to love The Row—but I do think they’re borrowing from Margiela, even though many people believe their approach to branding is something entirely new in the fashion industry. The Olsen twins’ mysterious presence and detachment from their products are, in my opinion, the best part about the brand—it lets the work speak for itself. But even Martin knew that staying invisible was always risky, which is why he constantly pushed himself to innovate every single season during his legendary tenure.
Image credit: Vogue Runway