Pat Boguslawski is setting the fashion world in motion.
The Polish movement director at Maison Margiela is the creative mastermind behind some of fashion’s most memorable runway moments. From German model Leon Dame’s viral runway stomp in 2020 to the seductive strides of corseted characters in John Galliano’s triumphant 2024 Maison Margiela couture show, Boguslawski is redefining the role of the model and bringing back the spectacle of the show.
“I always tell the models that it's better to give more than to give less,” he told BoF editor-at-large Tim Blanks, on this week's podcast.
Key Insights
- Growing up in Poland in the nineties, Boguslawski devoured fashion content on TV and in print. But as he watched everything turn into a product, he felt the storytelling essence of fashion diminish. “I started doing my job because I got bored. I just didn't like the direction we were going towards. … I promised myself that I'm gonna start bringing that energy back to fashion and create major runway moments.”
- Boguslawski is a multi-faceted creative. He started training as a dancer at age 15, transitioned to modelling and also studied drama and acting for four years before shifting to movement direction. “I'm so grateful that I was so curious because now I kind of use everything that I did in the past at my job,” he says.
- Directing the movement for the 2024 Maison Margiela couture show, Boguslawski encouraged the tightly-corseted models to channel their pain and discomfort into their characters. "I remember saying, 'Use that pain, use that suffering in your character. Just use whatever you're feeling right now. … Don't try to be perfect. Just let me see the suffering,'" he recalls.
- For Boguslawski, a connection with the audience is a key part of the show. “I like when the audience feels intimidated. It's exciting and I love the adrenaline that comes with it.” He recalls the impact of his direction during a rehearsal before the show. “I remember we were watching the main rehearsal and they were wearing their own clothes and the corsets. The whole rehearsal got a standing ovation by everyone who was in the room.”
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