In 1988, Martin Margiela and Jenny Meirens – the co-founder of his eponymous ‘Maison’ – painted their entire studio white, all the way down to the furniture, some of which was also draped in white cotton. It was largely a financial decision, a way to introduce cohesion to the mish-mash of vintage furnishings they had purchased in markets and second-hand stores. Mannequins were also painted white, and the pair enjoyed how eventually the various objects would patina through time – the paint scuffed or peeled away, revealing traces of what they once were.
It would lead to ‘bianchetto’ (‘whitewashing’), a technique that saw pieces from the house’s collections hand-painted white, ‘designed to naturally crack and fade over time, gradually revealing visible signs of use’. One of Margiela’s foundational codes – along with anonymity, deconstruction and the Tabi shoe – it is perhaps best known for adorning the last, a boot version of traditional Japanese split-toe tabi footwear. Indeed, ‘bianchetto’ was first introduced in 1989, adorning an early version of the Tabi boot.
Paint it white: Rimowa x Maison Margiela
Now, ‘bianchetto’ is central to a new collaboration between Maison Margiela – currently helmed by Belgian designer Glenn Martens – and German luggage house Rimowa, seeing the latter’s signature ridged ‘Classic Cabin’ suitcase daubed with white paint. The technique is also applied to a version of Maison Margiela’s 5AC XL bag, here recrafted with grooves in cleverly sculpted leather, echoing those found on Rimowa suitcases, which were originally inspired by airplane fuselages.
The collaboration, say the two brands, is built on the idea of the ‘lived in’ – something which both Rimowa and Maison Margiela incorporate in their work. Rimowa, despite the technical perfection of its luggage when it comes off the production line, has long embraced the way that its signature aluminium cases – which come in an ever-growing array of hues – dent and scuff with wear, seeing such marks as mementos of travel (the brand has also encouraged the adornment of their suitcases with stickers and tags). Maison Margiela uses the ‘bianchetto’ technique for this same reason, while its garments often feature torn-away layers to reveal the construction and linings beneath.
As such, the new take on the Classic Cabin suitcase also features a white interior with visible stitches and interlocked edges, making it appear ‘inside out’. Its traditional logo plaque is also finished with four white stitches, a nod to Maison Margiela’s signature branding, whereby the subtle stitches are used in lieu of traditional logos or monograms. The 5AC XL bag, which is constructed to appear as if the interior lining is being pulled out from the bag’s ‘opening’, features removable leather loops that allow it to be slipped over Classic Cabin’s telescopic handles.
A playful accompanying campaign film, conceived by Dexter Lander, sees the luggage set appear in a traditional Haussmannian apartment in Paris, the home city of Maison Margiela. A sprinkler of white paint gradually coats the luggage set and apartment, leaving behind an imprint of the bag and suitcase’s signature silhouettes on the apartment’s walls.
Watch the film below.
Rimowa x Maison Margiela is available 19 November 2026 from selected Rimowa and Maison Margiela stores