In English

Art
Martin Margiela has Always been an Artist

"An experience that changes nothing is hardly worth having." Martin Margiela

    Martin Margiela remains one of the most iconic fashion designers of all time, famed for his use of unorthodox materials and artist-like approach to dressmaking and fashion design. He favours old wigs, canvases, broken plates, and vintage fabrics, that he turns into clothing usurping the traditional fashion production-line methodologies.    He mysteriously left his namesake brand late-00’s after the acquisition by Renzo Rosso’s OTB Group in 2002, remaining a mythical figure in the fashion world up to this day, as he continues to conceal his identity.    "Martin has not been there for a long time. He is here but not here. We have a new fresh design team on board. We are focusing on young, realistic energy for the future; this is really Margiela for the year 2015."  Renzo Rosso, WGSN, 2009
Photo: Marcio Madeira, 'From Martin Margiela Circa 2006, Lessons in Resilience', BY LAIRD BORRELLI-PERSSON May 13, 2020. (https://www.vogue.com/article/past-present-maison-margiela-spring-2006)
The documentary ‘Margiela in His Own Words’, released last year, reinforced the myth, with Martin voicing it and showing only his hands. On his decision to remain anonymous he stated, “I knew I could give more if I felt protected” and it certainly gave the clothes a mischievous power that perhaps would have been lessened with a face to the name.    ​​A little longer than a decade has passed since we were treated to Margiela’s personal creative output, but that time has come to an end with the eponymously titled ‘Martin Margiela’ debut exhibition at Lafayette Anticipations curated by their director, Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel. The exhibition proposes, rightfully so, that Margiela has always been an artist and presents his diverse art practice for the first time to the public. Margiela has focussed on producing these diverse artworks in the last decade, since his departure from the fashion spotlight. The exhibition itself is an immersive labyrinthine experience, the works punctuating its corridors and corners, seamlessly segueing in and out of his celebrated fashion practice, reinforcing its artistic integrity and validity.
Posted on Instagram by Rebecca Lamarche-Vadel, 26 October: https://www.instagram.com/p/CVfScxHMb86/
If there was ever any doubt that Martin Margiela was an artist, this exhibition should set the record straight - not to be missed.        

‘Martin Margiela’, Martin Margiela, Lafayette Anticipations, Paris

Exhibition dates: 20th October 2021 to 2nd January 2022.

https://www.lafayetteanticipations.com/fr/exposition/martin-margiela

In English

Design
The New Wave Parisian Designers

For Paris Design Week this year we focus on designers that put sustainability to the forefront, through recycling, upcycling, the use of bio-materials, eco-innovation and much more.
In English

Art
Art Materials


After another arduous moment without art galleries and museums in our daily lives, they have finally reopened here in Paris! We took a walk around to see the latest shows in town and selected some of our favourites that are guaranteed to stimulate your creative material desires...

Photo credit: All images courtesy the galleries and artists cited

In English

Story of the Month
Concrete
Crush

Concrete is an endlessly versatile, beautifully simple material with timeless appeal. This month, we take a look at two big concrete news stories and highlight some of our innovative concrete materials.   After several delays due to the pandemic, the Pinault Collection has finally opened its doors in the iconic Bourse de Commerce building in central Paris. Since building work began in 2017, we were eager to see how one of our favourite architects, Tadao Ando, would re-imagine the space whilst keeping the building's historical details and highlighting the impressive Pinault art collection.
Ando, known for his poetic use of concrete, took his signature material and built a twenty-nine metre wide, nine-metre tall open-top concrete cylinder in the space,  letting the light from the original glass dome flood in, exposing the 19th-century fresco on the ceiling. The cylinder has a walkway at its height to give spectacular views of the fresco and the architecture of the space and the matt faces of the concrete slabs are the perfect material choice to juxtapose against the historical majesty of La Bourse.   Another big Concrete story in the news this month was the completion and inhabitation of the first 3D printed concrete house in Europe. With its whimsical sausagey appearance and soft lines, it feels at once both futuristic and prehistoric. Composed of various parts that were 3D printed off-site before being assembled together on-site, it is the first in five houses that are planned in the city of Eindhoven (The Netherlands) as part of 'Project Milestone'.
“'Project Milestone' can rightly be seen as a milestone for many reasons. Not only when it comes to the technology and the builders, but also with respect to design, the municipality, the future occupant, and the landlord. When the first occupant receives the key, they have a home that meets the latest needs for comfort. Made sustainably and energy-efficient, but also comfortable, light and quiet, in fantastic wooded natural surroundings.” From Project Milestone's Website    In 3D printing, the concrete used is optimized as it is able to be applied and layered where it is specifically needed for form and construction, unlike poured concrete which must be solid and uses a lot more primary material. The more concrete that is used, the more CO2 emissions are released, as greenhouse gasses are released when concrete is produced, so this new method is both energy-efficient and more environmentally friendly.   Here at American Supply, we have many different concrete-effect materials in our collection that give you the look and feel of concrete without the weight, environmental impact, and complications of their application, making them perfect for forward-thinking merchandising and POS solutions. These materials allow you to achieve the beautiful aspect of concrete without using massive amounts of raw materials and can be used for temporary or permanent applications depending on your needs.
If you are interested in any of these materials do not hesitate to contact us, and we will be happy to advise you technically and creatively for their availability and application methods. 
In English

Materials
Recycled and Renewed

Our new 2021 Eco-Collection segments a curated selection of our eco material offer into four key categories: Recycled, Recyclable, Eco-Concept, and Natural.   This month, we look at Recycled materials, focusing on the textile potential of Recycled PET. 
The recycling process for PET is circular, as once the new PET items have served their purpose or come to the end of a reasonable lifespan, they can enter back into the recycling system.   In our library we have many textiles composed of 100% Recycled PET, here are some of our favorites:
MATERIALS_MegaFeutre
MEGA FEUTRE A high density (1020 gr/m2) felted textile, with a sculptural rigidity.
MATERIALS_Poly-Pop
POLY-POP A lightweight fine weave brut canvas, with a strong color palette.
MATERIALS_Toilux
TOILUX A heavy (380 gr/m2) double-faced canvas.  The front face has a larger weave than the reverse.
MATERIALS_Denimlike
DENIMLIKE A lightweight washed woven denim-like twill, with a soft touch.
MATERIALS_Duchesse
DUCHESSE A heavy single-faced satin-twill on twill support, with a soft touch and a pleasing shine.
MATERIALS_Charente
CHARENTE A mid-weight (180 gr/m2) mottled felted textile, with a supple hand and a variable surface.

Contact us if you are interested in any of these new materials.

In English

News
Introducing…
Our 2021
Eco-Collection

American Supply was founded in 1948 by a French visionary living in New York mesmerized by the burgeoning material innovation industry. In keeping with our dedication to innovation, we provide unparalleled sustainable eco-innovative material solutions with a keen eye to the future, offering new and cutting-edge materials and material expertise to our clients in anticipation of their needs.   Following our 2019 Sustainability Report commitment, we are delighted to announce that our collection offer for 2021 is now 25% eco-focussed with the introduction of the American Supply 2021 Eco-Collection.    In 2020 a new tendency emerged within luxury commerce towards pre-ordering, to drive brands sustainable practice further, discouraging deadstock and promoting a slower form of consumption. This enables luxury houses to work with local producers and gives the customer a more direct experience, with an added dash of anticipation!    The 2021 Eco-Collection is 250 € HT (300 € TTC) for 4 binders in one AS Cube. Each binder contains 10 -12 materials, chosen carefully by our creative team.   

Order the American Supply 2021 Eco-Collection now !

  To aid your sustainable research, we have identified four eco-conscious categories to order the collection: Recycled, Recyclable, Eco-Concept & Natural.
  • Recycled_Creafoam
  • Recycled_Asphalt
  • Recycled_Ubiplast

Recycled 

All materials in the Recycled category are made entirely from domestic or industrial waste. Our focus materials: Creafoam, Asphalt & Ubiplast.  
  • Recyclable_PU Gel
  • Recyclable_Carton Lace
  • Recyclable_Air Noodles

Recyclable 

All materials in the Recyclable category are mono-material and entirely recyclable.  Our focus materials: PU Gel, Carton Lace & Air Noodles.  
  • Eco-Concept_Roche
  • Eco-Concept_SoupleP15
  • Eco-Concept_Color Cork

Eco-Concept 

All materials in the Eco-Concept category are conceived with an eco-conscious approach and respect for the production process.  Our focus materials: Roche, Souple P15 & Color Cork  
  • Natural_CAOUTCHOUC COLOR
  • Natural_Tefna
  • Natural_Banana Flex

Natural

All materials in the Natural category are composed of entirely natural elements.  Our focus materials: Caoutchouc Color, Tefna & Banana Flex  

To pre-order the American Supply 2021 Eco-Collection for the promotional price of 150 € HT (180 € TTC) instead of 250 € HT (300 € TTC) CLICK HERE !

In English

Story of the Month
Time
For Change

"Resilience is the ability of a material to absorb energy when it is deformed elastically"

If we do not have the desire to fundamentally change our behavior after going through this pandemic, we would essentially be withdrawing ourselves from our natural environment completely.

  • AmericanSupply_TimeForChange_Re-Leather_Web
  • AmericanSupply_TimeForChange_Re-LeatherSS_Web

Re-Leather & Re-Leather SS: Eco-innovative leather alternatives composed of waste leather and natural latex.

In the past, we mastered the manipulation of materials, but going forwards we must concentrate and listen to them in order to communicate with their spirit and begin the restoration of their body: isn't the essence of this experience intended to change the course of our emotions and instil meaning into our future commitments?   With our eco-innovative materials, we provide the means to remarkable, unique, and memorable user experiences. Together we can be the messengers of more ethical commerce - where symbiosis takes precedence over exploitation, communication over consumption, and respect over indifference.

Paper Jeans: A fully recycled paper-like material made from pulped denim fabric fibers and post-consumer paper pulp.

... It's TIME FOR CHANGE !

In English

Windows
Christmas Window Shopping

  • 1_VIVIENNE
  • 2_BONPOINT
  • 3_CHANTAL THOMASS
  • 4_Maison Dior
  • 6_Diptyque
  • 7_Jo Malone
  • 8_Guerlain
  • 9_Guerlain 2
  • 10_JMWeston
  • 11_Missoni
  • 12_Moschino
  • 12b_Moschino 2
  • 13_Chanel
  • 14_Chanel 2
  • 15_Chanel 3
  • 18_Dior
  • 20_Cartier
  • 22_Cartier 3
  • 21_Cartier 2
  • 39_LV
  • 40_LV 2
  • 16_Berluti
  • 17_Berluti 2
  • 19_Dior 2
  • 27_Gucci
  • 28_Gucci 2
  • 29_LaDurée
  • 23_Christian Louboutin
  • 32_Prada
  • 33_Prada 2
  • 24_Fendi
  • 25_Fendi 2
  • 26_Givenchy
  • 30_Lanvin
  • 31_Longchamp
  • 34_ToryBurch
  • 35_RogerVivier
  • 36_RogerVivier 2
  • 37_SalvatoreFerragamo
  • 38_Hogan
Every year, we take a leisurely walk around the shopping districts of Paris and marvel at the Christmas window installations that have been created to entice us.    This year was slightly different for a few reasons; one, the shops have been intermittently closed due to lockdown, and, two, even when open a strict 8 pm curfew has been imposed. This restricted our leisurely pace, as the time we usually took had to be metered, impacting our geographical scope for reasons of efficiency.    So, this year we focussed only on the Rue Saint Honoré district, which houses many flagship stores and branches off to Place Vendôme, Place de la Madeleine, Palais Royale, Le Louvre, the Tuileries Gardens and terminates at the President's residence, Le Palais de L'Élysée.   The Christmas window installations this year also reflected the unique situation, with many luxury houses reflecting our home interior back at us including Vivienne Westwood, Longchamp, JM Weston, and Fendi. Interpretations of the Christmas tree - a symbol that infiltrates our homes - and its accouterments: baubles, garlands, and lights, were seen at Guerlain, Moschino, Chanel, Dior, Christian Louboutin, Prada, Vuitton, and Tory Burch.    Dior, Cartier, and Chanel decorated the exterior of the stores fabulously, a trend that we picked up on last year, highlighting the ongoing importance of the exterior versus the interior in the visual merchandising world in Covid times.