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Stolen 1987 Margiela Portfolio Fetches Stunning Price
1 Oct
Summary
- A lost 1987 portfolio by Martin Margiela was stolen and later recovered.
- The portfolio, showcasing the future fashion house's aesthetic, sold for €24,700.
- It was part of a larger archive sale of Margiela's personal items.
A rare 1987 portfolio created by Martin Margiela before establishing his fashion house was auctioned in Paris on July 9, 2026, for €24,700. This dossier, containing drawings, collages, and facsimiles, outlined the aesthetic for the then-unnamed Maison Martin Margiela. It was initially stolen from Margiela while he was seeking manufacturers in Italy.
Margiela created a replacement using photocopies, considering them more contemporary. A year after the theft, police recovered the original portfolio. The auction catalogue, sourced from Margiela's personal archives, did not specify which version was sold.
The sale, a collaboration between Maurice Auction and Kerry Taylor Auctions, featured extensive archives from Margiela's career between 1984 and 2008. Other notable items included early sketches from the Golden Spindle competition and a 1985 Paris fashion drawing that sold for €18,200.
Significant items also included a 1988-2008 working blouse, which sold for €41,600, and white-painted Tabi boots from a 1991 exhibition, which achieved €364,000. A 2020 sweater inspired by Margiela's 1991-1992 collection sold for €117,000.
