Key takeaways from the Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 collection
- 2025 fashion collaboration between Maison Margiela (Paris) and Gentle Monster (Seoul).
- 20 designer eyewear models: 8 sunglasses and 12 optical frames.
- Flagship model: MM201, a frameless metallic mask inspired by L’Incognito (2008).
- Aesthetic: cyber-core, distorted lines, raw materials, and architectural accents.
- Immersive pop-ups in Seoul, Tokyo, Milan, New York, Beijing, and Shenzhen starting March 6, 2025.
- Maison Margiela: a pioneer in conceptual clothing and creative deconstruction.
- Gentle Monster: known for emotional design and immersive environments.
- Key themes: identity, transformation, visual dissonance, and social stance.
- A collection designed for fashion enthusiasts seeking avant-garde eyewear.
- Available at maisonmargiela.com and gentlemonster.com.
When design becomes a manifesto: designer eyewear between humanity and technology
Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 was born from a dialogue between two radical figures of contemporary design. This collaboration brings together 20 models—8 sunglasses and 12 optical frames—that deconstruct classic codes to reinvent them through a cybernetic visual language.
The standout model, MM201, reinterprets the iconic silhouette of L’Incognito (2008) in a frameless, angular version sculpted from a block of silver or green metal. The entire collection explores the tensions between retro-futurism and organic emotion, between humanity and technology.
“The seduction of mystery between human and cyborg” – Maison Margiela
Maison Margiela: the elegance of deconstruction
Maison Margiela is not your typical fashion house. Founded in 1988 by Martin Margiela, the brand quickly established itself as a conceptual force, favoring the invisible over the spectacular, and raw craftsmanship over bourgeois ornamentation.
“Rather than follow fashion conventions, Margiela was interested in the process of making clothes – and the poetry of imperfection.”
— The Business of Fashion
Now led by John Galliano, the house continues its mission to subvert norms while embracing the digital age. The collaboration with Gentle Monster extends this philosophy through an everyday object: the eyewear becomes a visual experience, a social mask, and a sculptural piece.
For a deeper dive into the world of Maison Margiela, check out the Maison Margiela Artisanal 2024 ‘Nighthawk’ video, which explores the brand’s avant-garde vision and unique aesthetic.
Watch the video here
Gentle Monster: the emotional vision of design
Founded in Seoul in 2011, Gentle Monster has redefined the world of designer eyewear by turning glasses into emotional artifacts. Each model is crafted as a work of art, and every store becomes an immersive installation, telling a story through space, art, and technology.
“We’re not just a fashion brand, we’re a cultural brand. We always think about how to tell stories through space, art and technology.”
— Hankook Kim, founder of Gentle Monster (Dazed Digital)
The brand stands out with its distinctive aesthetic—a blend of poetic sci-fi, industrial brutalism, and immersive art. Its collaborations with creators like Fendi, Jennie (BLACKPINK), and AMBUSH have explored the boundaries between technology and humanity, crafting pieces that don’t just follow trends, but redefine the codes of design.
Key model highlights: optical haute couture
The Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 collection features a wide range of shapes, all marked by a sculptural and narrative-driven intention:
MM201: a futuristic frameless metallic mask, paying tribute to L’Incognito
MM202–203: goggle-style glasses with fluid lines and a futuristic profile
MM204–205: glamorous ovals reimagined in robotic form
MM208: sharp cat-eye with a cyber-feminine twist
Three models—MM216, MM218, and MM220—are available in both sun and optical versions, featuring thin temples, architectural curves, and wired details inspired by high technology. Other models reinterpret vintage styles with a twist: oval shapes, elongated rectangles, distorted cat-eyes, and even rimless lenses connected by precious metal links.
Immersive installations around the world
To accompany the launch of the collection, several temporary spaces are opening simultaneously in Seoul, Tokyo, Milan, New York, Beijing, and Shenzhen. These are not just pop-ups—they are immersive art installations where visitors interact with abstract human sculptures, raw materials, lighting effects, and forms inspired by the eyewear itself. Here’s where to find them:
- Seoul (South Korea): Haus Dosan
50, Apgujeong-ro 46-gil, Gangnam-gu, Seoul
Opens March 6 - Shanghai (China): Haus Nowhere Shanghai
798-812, Mid-HuaiHai Road, Huangpu District, Shanghai
Opens March 6 - Tokyo (Japan): Gentle Monster Aoyama Tokyo
5 Chome-3-2 Minamiaoyama, Minato City, Tokyo 107-0062
Opens March 6 - Beijing (China): Gentle Monster Beijing
Sanlitun Taikoo Li
1F S10-15, 2F S10-23 & 3F S10-32, South Zone, Taikoo Li, Sanlitun, 19# Sanlitun Rd, Chaoyang District, Beijing
Opens March 6 - Milan (Italy): 10 Corso Como
Corso Como, 10, Milano
Opens March 6 - New York (USA): Gentle Monster New York
70 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012
Opens March 6 - Shenzhen (China): Haus Nowhere Shenzhen
L1-3, NL199-101, Water Plaza, Shenzhen Mixc World, NO.9668, Shennan Road, Nanshan District, Shenzhen
Opens March 6
This approach reflects the DNA of both brands: for Margiela, space is a concept; for Gentle Monster, it becomes a sensory theater.
To explore the immersive experience of the Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 collection, watch the video “Maison Margiela × Gentle Monster 2025 collection Pop-up in Milan”.
Watch the video here
An aesthetic and intellectual alliance: Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster
Beyond style, the Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 collaboration is a deep reflection on contemporary identity and the art of seeing differently. In a world saturated with images, eyewear becomes more than just an accessory—it becomes a stance. To reveal, to hide, to assert oneself through the gaze becomes an act of personal and social transformation.
This capsule questions our relationship to the gaze, visibility, and identity transformation, while pushing the boundaries of design even further. Each eyewear model embodies an exploration of these themes through an avant-garde aesthetic.
“Maison Margiela redefines the collective codes of clothing in the digital age.”
— Maison Margiela
Gentle Monster, in turn, transforms each accessory into a vehicle for emotional storytelling. Here, eyewear becomes the bridge between fashion and a more personal vision of identity—a way to express a new social stance in the digital world.
The future of designer eyewear
With this new collaboration, Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 pushes the boundaries of optical design and reimagines how we perceive eyewear. More than a simple accessory, each model in the 2025 collection becomes a visual manifesto—a means of expressing identity and transformation in a constantly evolving digital world.
The immersive installations across the globe, combined with avant-garde designs, elevate this experience into something truly unique. Whether in Seoul, Tokyo, Milan, Beijing, Shenzhen, or New York, this collaboration embodies the fusion of haute couture and technology, fashion and a deeper reflection on our place in the social and visual landscape.
Are you ready to join this visual revolution? The Maison Margiela x Gentle Monster 2025 collection redefines the gaze—and perhaps your own way of seeing yourself in the world.
