January 29, 2025 |
After weeks of speculation, Glenn Martens has been appointed the new creative director of Maison Margiela. The news follows John Galliano’s departure after 10 years at the helm of the house, which was announced in dramatic fashion in December last year.
With degrees in interior architecture and fashion design, Martens, who hails from Belgium, saw his start as junior designer at Jean Paul Gaultier. In 2012, he launched his eponymous label, which made its debut during Paris Fashion Week and ran for three seasons. In 2013 he stepped up to the position of creative director at Y/Project – where he was formerly first assistant – and introduced womenswear, transforming the Parisian menswear brand into a co-ed powerhouse. In 2017 Martens was awarded the ANDAM prize, winning $280,000 and a year-long mentorship from Francesca Bellettini, CEO and president of Yves Saint Laurent. Since 2020, the designer has split his time between Paris and Milan, where he was the artistic director of Diesel (which is also owned by OTB Group) and headed up Y/Project prior to its shutting in January (Martens left the brand in September, 2024, and the label shuttered in January, 2025). At Diesel, he revived the storied label, breathing new life into it’s denim-heavy identity. His Diesel shows are now some of the most talked about of the fashion show season. Not to mention, in a full circle moment, Martens was called up to the design table at John Paul Gaultier during the spring/summer 2022 couture season to present a streamlined yet playful collection fusing the codes of JPG with those of himself.
In a statement released to the press, Martens said, “I am extremely honoured to join the amazing Maison Margiela, a truly unique house that has been inspiring the world for decades. And I thank Renzo [Rosso] for the trust he is putting in me.”
Commenting on the appointment, OTB Group chairman Renzo Rosso told WWD: “I have worked with Glenn for years, I have witnessed his talent, and I know what he is capable of. After Martin, who gave life to the maison and its unique artisanal line, and John (Galliano), who made it the most cutting-edge couture house in the world, I am proud to have a third couturier at its helm. Glenn, who studied at Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts like Martin, has already shown his prowess and his vision in couture.”
The announcement from Maison Margiela and its parent company OTB Group, did not specify when Martens would show his first collection for the brand. However, it’s sure to be worth the wait. Martens is one of fashion’s ultimate disruptors, having proven his wizard-like design skills in the radical collections he has created over the years. Now, he is being passed the baton by another rule-breaker – Galliano – and we can’t wait to see what’s in store. Martens will continue to head up Diesel whilst working with Maison Margiela. Watch this space.
Photography courtesy of Maison Margiela.
