Maison Margiela invites you to celebrate its Spring Summer 26 collection with a short film, starring composer and pianist Max Richter and an orchestra of 43 young musicians from Association Orchestre à l’École. Titled “Joy” the film takes its name from the original score composed by Max Richter for the campaign, which he performs at the harpsichord surrounded by the young musicians. The film launches on March 11, coinciding with the
collection’s arrival in stores and online at maisonmargiela.com.

The roots of “Joy” are in our Co-Ed Spring Summer 26 collection, of which one of the themes is a chaotic night at the opera. The runway featured some of the same young musicians featured in the film.

Playfulness and the unexpected are core to the film. The orchestra gathers at what looks like a regular empty concert venue. As the film evolves, the auditorium turns into a playground, with a climbing frame in front of the seats, a swing, and a slide down the aisle. Their joy
reflects the experience leading to the film, which saw the orchestra rehearsing with Richter for three months to prepare for the performance.

”Joy” celebrates the potential of collective creativity, says Max Richter, who is Oscar-nominated for his original score to the film Hamnet. “Playing music together allows us to understand one another in a unique way and to communicate a shared vision that elevates and transforms us. I loved working with Orchestre à l’École association and Maison Margiela to bring this vision to life.”

The film, and the accompanying stills, were shot at the Théâtre de la Villette in Paris. Throughout, Richter wears looks from our Co-Ed Spring Summer 26 collection, highlighting the tailored silhouette at the heart of the runway show. Meanwhile, the purposefully oversized suits of the young musicians have been painted white: our “Bianchetto” treatment.

The campaign film is accompanied by images that highlight two key accessories from the collection: the Heel-less and the Box Bag. The Heel-less is a reintroduction of an archival Maison Margiela concept, with the heel hidden within the shoe – presented through
a Western boot and a pump. Meanwhile, the Box Bag is our brand new design which debuted at the Spring Summer 26 show, crafted from soft leather with reinforced edges created by a Thermoforming technique.

A Spotify playlist composed of songs curated by the young orchestra and Max Richter under the theme “joy” can now be listened to on Maison Margiela’s Spotify account.

Max Richter:
Max Richter is an Oscar-nominated composer whose work redefines contemporary classical music through a blend of traditional orchestration and modern electronic elements. Across more than two decades, his work is defined by emotional clarity, conceptual ambition and a deep humanism earning global acclaim.

Association Orchestre à l’École:
Association Orchestre à l’École is a French non-profit founded in 2008 that brings orchestral practice into the schools by transforming classes into orchestras. The programme promotes access to music, confidence and social inclusion through collective practice across over 1,600 schools in France. Many of the same young musicians who performed in our Co-Ed Spring Summer 2026 show also appear in our Spring Summer 2026 short film “Joy”.