Maison Margiela has released Joy, a short film for Spring Summer 2026 that frames the collection through music rather than spectacle. The film stars composer and pianist Max Richter alongside an orchestra of 43 young musicians from the Association Orchestre à l’École, setting a precise tone for the house’s latest campaign.
Titled after Richter’s original score for the campaign, Joy centers on a performance in which he plays the harpsichord with the young musicians. That sense of live emotion gives the film its pull, while keeping the focus firmly on the collection itself.
In the film, Richter wears looks from the Spring Summer 26 collection, which Maison Margiela says highlight the tailored silhouette, an archival concept at the core of the season. The young musicians appear in purposefully oversized suits finished in the house’s Bianchetto treatment and paired with handmade masks in varying colours, adding another layer of visual identity without pushing the film away from the clothes.
What makes Joy is its restraint. Maison Margiela keeps the setup focused and direct, using Richter’s score, the orchestra, and a few sharply defined collection cues to shape the mood. It feels considered, specific, and clear about what it wants to show, which is often more effective than overstating the point.