Maison Margiela is a Paris house, so its name is said the French way: meh-ZOHN mar-zhyeh-LAH. The written phonetic form is [mɛzɔ̃ maʁʒjela]. Here it is broken down, with the common mistakes. Coveti stocks the women's ready-to-wear in the Maison Margiela collection. Once you can say it, shop the coats and dresses edits.
Quick answer
- Maison: meh-ZOHN, with a soft nasal ending; the n is barely said.
- Margiela: mar-zhyeh-LAH. The g is soft, like the s in measure.
- Stress: French words carry a light stress on the last syllable.
Maison
Maison is the French word for house. Say “meh” then “zohn”, with the “ohn” said through the nose, as in the French bon. Do not say “may-son”.
Margiela
Start with “mar”. The g is soft, the “zh” sound in measure and beige, never a hard g as in girl. The middle is “yeh”, not “jell”. Finish with “lah”. Together: mar-zhyeh-LAH.
Common mistakes
- A hard g: “mar-GEL-a”.
- Saying “maison” as “may-son”.
- Stressing the middle: “mar-JELL-a”.
Martin Margiela and MM6
The founder's name in French is “mar-TAN mar-zhyeh-LAH”, with a nasal “tan”. The younger line, MM6 Maison Margiela, is said “em em six”. Read who is Martin Margiela and Maison Margiela vs MM6.
What the name means
Maison Margiela simply means House of Margiela. Until 2015 it was Maison Martin Margiela.
Maison Margiela at a glance
| Founded | 1988, Paris, by Martin Margiela and Jenny Meirens |
| Creative director | Glenn Martens, since January 2025 (after Martin Margiela to 2009 and John Galliano, 2014 to 2024) |
| Owner | OTB, the Italian group founded by Renzo Rosso, majority owner since 2002 |
| Signatures | The four white stitches, the blank numbered label, the Tabi split toe, deconstruction, Artisanal remade garments |
| Lines | Artisanal (couture), the main collection, and MM6 Maison Margiela, launched in 1997 |
| Made in | Most ready-to-wear is made in Italy; a few pieces are made in France |
| Sizes at Coveti | Italian sizes IT 36 to 50 (UK 4 to 18), letter sizes XS to XXL for knitwear, waist sizes for jeans |
Frequently asked questions
How do you pronounce Maison Margiela?
Meh-ZOHN mar-zhyeh-LAH, with a soft g like the s in measure and a nasal ending on Maison.
Is the g in Margiela hard?
No. It is soft, like the zh sound in measure.
What does Maison Margiela mean?
It means House of Margiela, after the founder, Martin Margiela.
How do you pronounce MM6?
Em em six. MM6 Maison Margiela is the house's younger line.
Was it always called Maison Margiela?
No. It was Maison Martin Margiela until 2015.
Read next: who is Martin Margiela, the four stitches and logo, Maison Margiela vs MM6.
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