Maison Margiela Four Stitches and Label Numbers: What They Mean
Maison Margiela Four Stitches and Label Numbers: What They Mean
The four white stitches on the back of a Maison Margiela garment are the most famous logo in fashion that is not a logo. They hold a blank white cotton label to the inside of the collar, and because they go through to the outside, four small tacks show at the back. Inside, a numbered label tells you which line the piece belongs to. Every piece in the Maison Margiela collection at Coveti carries the stitches.
Quick answer
- The stitches: four hand-sewn white tacks holding the blank label. They show on the outside on purpose.
- The blank label: Martin Margiela wanted the clothes to speak without a designer’s name, so the first labels were plain white.
- The numbers: from 1997 the label printed the numbers 0 to 23, and the circled number names the line.
- Main numbers: 0 Artisanal, 1 women’s collection, 4 women’s wardrobe, 10 men’s, 11 accessories, 22 shoes.
Why four stitches?
The early labels were rectangles of white cotton with nothing printed on them. To attach them, the studio sewed a loose white stitch through each corner. On a dark garment those four marks are easy to see from behind, and customers started to recognise them. Many people cut the label out, as Margiela half expected, and the stitch holes still gave the piece away. Today the stitches are sewn on every ready-to-wear piece, and on most clothes the label itself is still blank.
The numbered label
In 1997, with more lines to manage, the studio printed the numbers 0 to 23 on the white label and circled the one that applied. Not every number was used. The ones you see most often are:
| Number | Line |
|---|---|
| 0 | Artisanal: garments remade by hand, the house’s couture |
| 1 | The women’s collection, shown on the runway |
| 4 | The women’s wardrobe: core pieces such as shirts, tailoring and knits |
| 10 | The men’s collection |
| 11 | Accessories |
| 22 | Shoes |
Collectors use the circled number to date and place a piece. A 0 label on a remade jacket from the 1990s is the most sought after.
How to read a label today
On current women’s ready-to-wear you will usually find the blank white label at the back of the neck, the four stitches through to the outside, and the care and composition labels at the side seam. The style code printed there matches the one on the product page; at Coveti we show it in the Product Details table so you can check it, for example on the V-Neck Cotton Shirt in White.
Do the numbers appear on the clothes?
Sometimes the numbers move from the label onto the garment. The Numeric Cotton Jersey T-Shirt in Black prints the 0 to 23 sequence across the chest, and the Reverse Logo T-Shirt in White uses the house’s reversed logo. These are the most direct way to wear the code.
Why fakes get the stitches wrong
Counterfeiters copy the stitches, but they are often too thick, too even and machine-made, in a shiny thread that sits flat. On genuine pieces the four tacks are fine white cotton, slightly irregular and visible from both sides of the fabric. Our guide on how to spot fake Maison Margiela covers the other checks.
The stitches as a style signal
Because the mark is so small, Margiela is a quiet choice. A black cotton poplin shirt with four white stitches at the collar says more to people who know than a printed logo would. It is part of why the house sits next to brands like The Row and Lemaire in many wardrobes.
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
What do the four stitches on Maison Margiela mean?
They are four white tacks that hold the blank label inside the collar. They show on the outside, and they became the house signature.
Why is the Maison Margiela label blank?
Martin Margiela wanted the clothes to be judged without a designer name, so the first labels were plain white cotton.
What does the number 1 on a Margiela label mean?
Number 1 is the women's collection. Number 4 is the women's wardrobe, 10 is men's, 0 is Artisanal, 11 is accessories and 22 is shoes.
When did Maison Margiela start using numbers?
The numbered label, printed 0 to 23 with one number circled, was introduced in 1997.
Can you remove the four stitches?
You can cut them, and many early customers did. The small holes they leave are still a sign of a genuine piece.
Does MM6 have the four stitches?
MM6 Maison Margiela uses its own label and does not always carry the four stitches.
Read next: how to spot fake Maison Margiela, who is Martin Margiela, Maison Margiela vs MM6.
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