Maison Margiela Opens "Tabi: Collectors Exhibition" in Chengdu, China

Summary

• Maison Margiela has officially opened the “Tabi: Collectors Exhibition” at The Third Avenue Art Museum in Chengdu, running from April 9 to April 13, 2026
• The showcase is part of the broader MaisonMargiela/folders project, celebrating the house’s foundational codes following its Fall/Winter 2026 runway show in Shanghai
• The immersive event features the personal Tabi archives of nine global collectors, an interactive Maison Margiela Café, and a digital extension hosted via public Dropbox folders

Maison Margiela is continuing to pull back the curtain on its creative processes and iconic codes. Following a landmark Fall/Winter 2026 show in Shanghai on April 1, the Parisian fashion house has officially opened the “Tabi: Collectors Exhibition” in Chengdu. Running from April 9 through April 13 at The Third Avenue Art Museum, the installation celebrates the global community that has adopted the polarizing, iconic split-toe shoe as a deeply personal form of individual expression. The Chengdu activation serves as a major pillar of the wider MaisonMargiela/folders initiative—a series of regional exhibitions highlighting the brand’s foundational pillars across China.

To properly explore the relationship between the shoe and its wearer, Maison Margiela has brought together the personal collections of nine distinct Tabi collectors from around the globe: Marta de Megni, Menthae, Zhiyu Wang, Zion.T, Theaster Gates, Jerami Grant, Pandora Graessl, Eléonore Guignot, and the Mor family. Each contributor presents their own personal archive, utilizing full-scale photography to reconstruct their wardrobes and offering an intimate look at how these rare, customized, and beloved pieces are lived with and preserved over time.

Beyond the personal collections, visitors can immerse themselves further at the Maison Margiela Café, which functions as a central gathering place within the museum. The space also hosts a curated display of the house’s own archival Tabis. The timeline of footwear traces the silhouette’s evolution across various shapes and materialities, acting as a canvas for the Maison’s experimentation from the original Spring/Summer 1989 boot all the way to its most recent interpretations, including the striking Artisanal Tabi Claw.

The Chengdu exhibition is part of an unprecedented push for transparency by the luxury label. Aligning with the physical MaisonMargiela/folders activations happening across China—including the Artisanal showcase in Shanghai, Anonymity in Beijing, and Bianchetto in Shenzhen—the house is making all of its exhibition materials and installation documentation completely open-source.

The “Tabi: Collectors Exhibition” is open daily from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM at The Third Avenue Art Museum, welcoming both reservations and walk-ins. For fashion enthusiasts unable to attend in person, the continually updating digital archive is currently accessible worldwide via Maison Margiela’s public working Dropbox folders.