Glenn Martens appointed as new creative director of Maison Margiela
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The long-awaited announcement of Maison Margiela's new creative director is finally here. As many suspected, Glenn Martens is the new creative director, confirmed OTB, the parent company of Maison Margiela, in a press statement today.
Martens succeeds John Galliano. Galliano and OTB announced in mid-December 2024 that they would be parting ways. Galliano led the brand that is originally from Belgium for ten years. The split was reportedly amicable. At the time of the announcement, many fashion professionals already saw Glenn Martens as a likely successor. Martens is already part of the OTB family as creative director of Diesel, also part of OTB's portfolio.
It is currently unclear when Martens will make his debut as the new creative director of Maison Margiela. He reportedly will continue his role at Diesel.
Maison Margiela's Creative Leadership Returns to Belgian Hands with the Appointment of Glenn Martens
Martens is an award-winning designer. He has won numerous Belgian Fashion Awards and won several Andam Awards with Y/Project. Martens headed Y/Project for several years but stepped down in September 2024. The brand announced at the beginning of 2025 that it would be closing due to its inability to find a buyer. The closure of Y/Project freed up space in Martens' schedule.
Glenn Martens studied at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. He then secured a permanent contract with Jean Paul Gaultier, working on the menswear collection. He later freelanced for labels such as Honest By, H&M satellite brand Weekday, and Hugo Boss. He also founded his own brand, but joined Y/Project in 2013. At Y/Project, he quickly positioned himself as a "radical innovator" thanks to his unusual designs. This in turn attracted the attention of OTB and Diesel. He has been at the helm of Diesel since 2022.
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