oki-ni’s archive feature is one of the most exciting ideas happening online right now. Why can’t designers and labels archive their own clothes properly? Pieces of Raf Simons, Levi’s and Nike have been lovingly photographed, beautifully styled and catalogued by the website, showing creative director and buyer John Skelton’s passion for these brands.
Next up is a Margiela archive, property of the lovely Mr. Craig Borthwick, a man who perhaps knows more (and has more) Margiela than anyone else I can think of. I once ended up at Craig’s for a dinner party where I found out that he owned some legendary vintage pieces, such as the patchworked Levi’s that I have often fantasized and admired. Whether Margiela really is still at the helm or not, the men’s brand finally seems to be really getting the attention it deserves. With oki-ni having one of the best buys of any store, I couldn’t resist asking John more about this unique project.

MENSWEAR: You must have been working with and buying the brand for some time now. What keeps you coming back for more?
John Skelton: It’s a bit of a weird one really. Every season I go into the showroom and just end up selecting so many more options than when I’m in other showrooms. I have a real thing about trying everything on before I write it and when you put this stuff on it just fits so well that I end up with loads of it. The tailoring and the knitwear is timeless. Im still wearing Margiela I bought ten years ago.

MENSWEAR: What have been your Margiela ‘highlights’ throughout the men’s collection, the pieces that have really made you go ‘wow’ or fall in love with the brand perhaps?
JS: There’s loads of them. I really fell for the tailoring in a collection around seven years ago which had the mix up waistcoats in it, still remember it like yesterday. Also nearly died when I seen the first cut’n’sew vintage Levi’s in Harvey Nichols around 1998. That’s actually the first thing that got me into Margiela when I think about it, they we’re like nothing else I’d ever seen at that point.

MENSWEAR: People seem ignorant or less aware of Margiela menswear compared to womenswear. What would you personally recommend about it?
JS: I’m not going to recommend anything about it. If people want to be ignorant about it then that means there’s less of us wearing it!!

A Margiela water bottle…
MENSWEAR: The archive series on oki-ni is really exciting, any dream archives or people with huge clothing collections you’d like to delve into?
JS: Yeah actually. I’ve got some really exciting meetings with some people in Japan that I am really enthused about but I cant give any names away at the moment. Also another Geordie boy who we’re going to be featuring soon which is going to be a new and interesting angle for us.
Also can I just finish by saying a huge thank you to Craig Borthwick whose Margiela archive this is. He not only provided the product but styled the whole thing himself and I think it’s the strongest, most authentic archive styling wise we have up. Thanks bro x