When Miley Cyrus stripped down to nothing but white paint and Maison Margiela’s signature Tabi boots for the brand’s Fall/Winter 2025 Avant-Première campaign, it wasn’t just another headline-grabbing stunt. It marked a turning point for both the maison and the star.
Maison Margiela, historically known for its anonymity and refusal to lean on celebrity endorsements, made a rare and deliberate exception. For the first time in its 37-year history, a well-known figure fronts its campaign — and that figure is Cyrus, photographed by Paolo Roversi in a strikingly raw and intimate series of portraits.
“The nudes by Paolo are so iconic and signature to his art,” Cyrus said of the collaboration. “Standing naked for a fashion campaign felt major. All I wore was body paint and the signature painted Tabi boots. In that moment, Margiela and I became one.”
A New Chapter for Margiela
Founded on a philosophy of deconstruction, Maison Margiela has always blurred the line between art and fashion. The “bianchetto” tradition — objects veiled in white paint to highlight form and texture — takes on new meaning here. Cyrus herself becomes the canvas, her body transformed into a living embodiment of the maison’s codes.
In choosing Cyrus — who often dons the maison on red carpets and on stage at award shows — the house underscores its evolving identity. Where Margiela once thrived on anonymity, it now leans into the power of cultural icons who themselves embody transformation and reinvention.
Miley as Muse, Then and Now
For Cyrus, the campaign represents more than just an artistic collaboration. It feels like a reclamation. The visual language recalls her infamous 2008 Vanity Fair portrait, once criticized for its intimacy. Nearly two decades later, Cyrus reclaims that same vulnerability on her own terms — this time as a woman in control of her narrative.
It’s a powerful statement on agency: what was once imposed has now been transformed into chosen self-expression.
The Artistry of Paolo Roversi
Roversi, one of fashion’s most revered photographers, is known for capturing the delicate intersection of strength and fragility. His signature style — dreamlike, luminous, timeless — frames Cyrus not as an object but as a subject, holding her own space within Margiela’s artistic universe. The collaboration results in images that feel less like advertising and more like fine art.
Why This Moment Matters
The campaign sits at the crossroads of fashion history and pop culture. Cyrus’ transformation from Disney star to avant-garde muse mirrors Margiela’s journey from outsider deconstruction to luxury powerhouse. Both have built careers on breaking the rules, only to redefine what those rules could mean.
For GRAZIA readers, this campaign isn’t just about the imagery — it’s about what it represents: vulnerability as empowerment, art as identity, and the power of reinvention at any stage of one’s career.
In stripping everything away but paint and Tabi boots, Miley Cyrus and Maison Margiela remind us that true style isn’t about what you wear — it’s about what you embody.
