Maison Margiela chief executive Gaetano Sciuto on the brand's plans to expand into residential design in Dubai

For Gaetano Sciuto, chief executive of Maison Margiela, fashion is not a matter of years, but of mindset. “Maison Margiela is about attitude, not age,” he says with an assured calm that comes from both conviction and experience. Tasked with safeguarding the house’s avant-garde soul while guiding it towards a new generation, Sciuto carries the weight of a legacy that has always lived slightly out of step with convention.

Founded in 1988 by elusive Belgian designer Martin Margiela, the maison was conceived as an anti-fashion brand – its white labels stitched anonymously, its shows staged in unexpected corners of Paris, and its founder steadfastly refusing to be photographed. Ever since, it has intentionally always occupied the margins.

Gaetano Sciuto has had to perform a delicate balancing act, expanding while staying true to the brand's experimental origins. Photo: Maison Margiela

For Sciuto, who joined from Giorgio Armani, this makes for a delicate balancing act. “I need to tell the story of this brand honestly,” he says. “It has not been told enough.” His mandate is to ensure Margiela thrives not only as a cult name, but also as a viable business – without losing the edge that makes it so compelling.

“When I started, people told me: ‘It’s an amazing, beautiful brand. So niche, so edgy,’” Sciuto recalls with a laugh. “But if you stay at the edge, you can’t spark conversation. I want Margiela to be in the middle of the conversation.”

That tension was on full display at the maison’s spring/summer 2026 show under new creative director Glenn Martens. While a children’s orchestra played dressed in oversized suits, models walked with metallic mouthpieces – sinister, sculptural devices that prised open their lips.

Maison Margiela is looking to expand its reach with a broader audience. Reuters

Based on the four stitches that hold the brand’s clothing label in place, it was as shocking as it was divisive.

“We expected the reaction. We had hours of discussions with Glenn about it,” Sciuto says. “Even at a recent dinner, two people loved it, two hated it. And that’s the point. Maison Margiela exists to provoke dialogue. Fashion needs us, otherwise it risks becoming boring.”

Still, Sciuto is pragmatic about growth. “If you go to a party of 100 people, two will be wearing Margiela. I don’t want 100. I want five,” he says with a smile. “Just five.” It’s a mantra that has informed everything from product strategy to store design.

The real estate project in Dubai digs into the company archives and is inspired by the founder's love of interior design. Photo: Maison Margiela

When scouting for a new location in Seoul, for example, unable to find space in the main shopping commune, his team instead restored a crumbling house in the leafy enclave of Hannam, adding a garden and cafe. “It’s far from the shopping district, and you have to seek it out. But that’s Margiela,” he explains. “We’re not for everyone. We’re for those who want to belong to our world.”

That philosophy of finding beauty in the unexpected runs deep. “All the best locations are taken or too expensive,” he says. “So, how do I make our voice heard? By staying true to the essence of Margiela, of self-expression and finding beauty in imperfection.”

This ethos now extends beyond fashion. The brand recently added to its famous numerical system, with the launch of Line 2, an art platform to foster creative and cultural collaborations. Starting with an immersive installation at the new Seoul store, the work was a collaboration between sound artist Joyul and visual artist Heemin Chung. Called Elsewhere, Rhema, Open Torso, it explored memory and transformation, and is the first of many such projects.

Gaetano Scuito is comfortable heading a polarising brand. Photo: Maison Margiela

The maison’s next act is architectural, by way of its first-ever collection of 24 branded residences in Dubai. Designed around house codes including deconstruction, trompe-l’oeil and transformation, details include Venetian glass and gold leaf inspired by the Japanese art of kintsugi, the practice of mending with gold. Designed by Maison Margiela and Italian architect Carlo Colombo, in partnership with Alta Real Estate Development, it is, Sciuto explains, “the architectural expression of an haute couture house”.

At first, it may sound like a surprising pivot for a brand built on anti-luxury ideals, but Martin Margiela himself was long fascinated by interiors. He designed a homeware collection for Milan’s Salone del Mobile in 2009, redesigned the interior of the Maison Champs-Elysées hotel in 2011 and collaborated on a furniture line with Cerruti Baleri Furniture in 2012. He also redecorated the L’Ile aux Oiseaux (Bird Island) suite at Les Sources de Caudalie hotel in Bordeaux.

“Looking at the archives, Martin was always drawn to design,” Sciuto says. “I feel it’s my role to go back and look at the DNA of the brand and use that in a modern way. And that’s why this project came about.”

It is perhaps unsurprising the brand has chosen Dubai for its first residential project, as the city hosts a number of fashion brands on its skyline. Photo: Maison Margiela

The project’s scale, limited to 24 homes, is telling. As for being located in Dubai, Sciuto is unequivocal. “Dubai is the place to be right now. It’s becoming one of the most prominent skylines in the world.”

Other evolutions instigated by Sciuto also feel like new territory for the company, such as seating celebrities in the front row and a new campaign starring Miley Cyrus.

Here, too, there has been pushback, he explains, from diehard fans of the brand. “Some people tell us, Margiela should not be about celebrities but, you know, times have changed and being anonymous does not mean not communicating. Being anonymous to me means being an individual with your own beliefs, yet part of a community. To me, it’s communicating the value of creativity, and that we are a disruptive company.”

It’s a difficult balance, Sciuto admits, but he is thankful that he has Martens on board. “He understands that Margiela is a luxury brand. He’s intellectual and finding his way of being disruptive. Our thought process is more creative, strategic, more long term.

“When you get this kind of recipe correct, it doesn’t have to be so literal. This is the difference in terms of Margiela versus the bigger corporate brands. We cannot compete on budget, or having the store in the right location. The only thing we can compete on is being able to send a message that is different.”

He pauses, then smiles. “We’ll always be a polarising brand. That’s Margiela.”