Founded in 2002, LAILA has been collecting, editing, and presenting a wide range of fashion designs
shaped by history. The pieces archived over the years are now curated and exhibited at LA MUSEUM, an
online museum that opened in July 2024.
On Saturday, May 31, 2025, LA MUSEUM will hold its first physical exhibition for one day only: “Margiela at
Villa in the Forest.” The venue is a forest villa located in Chino City, Nagano Prefecture, designed by
SANAA / Kazuyo Sejima & Associates. From the second ongoing exhibition, “1950s ‒ 2010s Part 2,” the
exhibition will present 12 selected works by Maison Martin Margiela from the years 1989 to 1999. In
addition to the garments, two rare sketchbooks documenting the creative process behind the Spring/
Summer 1993 and Fall/Winter 1993‒94 collections will be on view, along with a screening of the video
work first shown at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris in October 2021.
The venue, known as the “Villa in the Forest,” was built in 1994 as a guesthouse and atelier for a couple.
To withstand harsh winters and snow, the building employs reinforced concrete walls. Situated in a vast,
ambiguous-border forest, the bright white circular structure is composed of a central round atelier and a
ring-shaped living space. Natural light filters through tall trees in fragments, and strategically placed
openings offer captivating views of the surrounding forest.
The key visual for the exhibition is photographed by Takashi Homma.
website – https://www.la-museum.com/
Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/la_museum/
YouTube – https://youtube.com/@lamuseum
Exhibition Date
Saturday, May 31, 2025 ‒ One-day-only event
Venue
Villa in the Forest
Application Form
https://forms.gle/E9CWzVjeiJt1FT4o7
Application Details
– Attendance is free of charge and limited to 30 guests, selected by lottery from those who apply via the form above.
– Selected guests will be asked to gather at JR Chino Station, where transportation to the venue (approximately 30
minutes) will be provided.
– Guests will have approximately one hour to explore and experience the venue before being transported back to JR
Chino Station.
– Photography and videography are allowed inside the venue.
ABOUT LA MUSEUM
LA MUSEUM is an online museum that exhibits an extensive range of garments from the past. Clothing and fashion have evolved alongside
different lifestyles and cultures since the end of World War II. This museum curates and exhibits said garments online according to the theme
of each exhibition. Anyone with a digital device and internet connection can easily view the pieces from any location.
LAILA, the founding company behind the museum project, and collectors from different countries will pick out clothes and accessories from a
database of 20,000 pieces (as of June 2024), which have been photographed and digitalized using 3D technology, and showcase them to the
rest of the world. Not only can you see the exhibited clothes in 360 degrees, but you can also see each intricate stitch and the inside of the
clothes.
Hideo Hashiura, the director and curator of LA MUSEUM states the following. “We aim to define a new way of appreciating art for both
fashion aficionados and avid museum-goers. LA MUSEUM, which is worthy of calling a digital database of fashion, will not only be a priceless
source of inspiration for current fashion designers but also a revolutionary research archive for future fashion and art students. We also plan
to collaborate with universities and colleges to create a program where students can visit the museum for free. Moreover, we’ll utilize NFTs to
organize special projects for each exhibition, such as inviting fashion experts for tours and creating fashion books.”
In a world where contemporary fashion is at risk of being co-opted by commercialism, we aim to focus on the “Art of Fashion.” Our main
objective is to preserve the artistry, creativity, and craftsmanship of clothes that humans have made with their own hands for future
generations and contribute to the fashion industry and society at large to carve out a more meaningful and valuable future for fashion design.
The museum opened online from July 1st 2024.
In the same month, a YouTube channel was also launched, featuring in-depth interviews with experts from both within and outside the fashion
industry. While fashion remains the main subject, the channel also explores a wide range of topics including art and entertainment, delivering
video content to audiences around the world.
◼︎Download LA MUSEUM App
iOS https://apps.apple.com/us/app/la-museum/id6472040882
Android https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.lamuseum.app
Windows https://api.lam-app.com/api/DownloadWindowsAppAsync
Mac https://apps.apple.com/us/app/la-museum/id6472040882
◼︎Required/Recommended Specs
English https://www.la-museum.com/support/condition/?resetLamLng=en
Japanese https://www.la-museum.com/support/condition/
◼︎Exhibition Ticket
1Day Ticket12€ / Ticket is valid for 24 hours from ticket use.
7Day Ticket28€ / Ticket is valid for 168 hours from ticket use.
◼︎Support
English https://lamuseum.zendesk.com/hc/en-us
Japanese https://lamuseum.zendesk.com/hc/ja
ABOUT LAILA
LAILA, founded in 2002, is a vintage shop dedicated to collecting and preserving a wide range of fashion designs that history has cultivated.
They curate and propose unique collections that are not influenced by seasonal trends. Currently, LAILA operates four stores: LAILA
VINTAGE, LAILA TOKIO (online only), SURR by LAILA, and DE CHIRICO. Additionally, they manage LAILA ATELIER, a private space for fashion
designers and celebrities.
Believing in timeless clothing and fashion, LAILA aims to foster an understanding of design and to pass it on to future generations. As part of
this mission, they launched an online museum, “LA MUSEUM,” on July 1, 2024.
LAILA VINTAGE https://laila.jp/
LAILA TOKIO https://laila-tokio.com/
SURR by LAILA https://surr.co.jp/
DE CHIRICO https://chirico.jp/
