Maison Martin Margiela

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With its sparse walls, exposed pipes, and undressed mannequins, Maison Martin Margiela looks more like a working artist’s loft than the New York outpost of a major Belgian designer. Staff in white lab coats reinforce the cool, minimalist theme. Women’s clothing; a sea of slinky pieces in neons and neutrals; is displayed along a few racks on one side of the room, with a smattering of shoes and a tiny jewelry case off to the side with unusual creations like a wine cork pendant necklace. The men’s side is equal parts hip business wear and downtown scenester; pin stripe suits and button-ups share space with T-shirts and silk-screened jackets. While many of the offerings are as simple as the surroundings, others seem straight out of a kooky Project Runway challenge, like a gold vest with chain-links of bottle caps, or a trenchcoat made from German shopping bags. — Melissa Noble