Glenn Martens, the current creative director at Diesel, has been announced as the next creative director of Maison Margiela.
After John Galliano’s departure in December 2024 -who was at the helm of Margiela for 10 years – the industry has been speculating who will take over the vacant chair – with Ye (Kanye West) even suggested.
Martens is not leaving his current position as creative director at Diesel just yet – another brand also owned by the Italian luxury group OTB.
The designer made waves among Gen Z clientele for his thigh-grazing boots and jean-boots at Diesel, breaking the boundaries between accessories and garments and even earning Rihanna’s stamp of approval.
Martens has dressed the likes of singer Chappell Roan and Kylie Minogue, and his penchant for cutting-edge urban fashion leaves the industry on tenterhooks to see what he brings to Margiela.
Galliano’s influence at Margiela was colossal. According to OTB Group, the sales for the French label grew 23% in 2023. Similarly, sales grew 24% in the 2021-2022 period under Galliano’s direction.
An enduring example of Galliano’s impact is the revival of the infamous ‘Tabi’, the iconic Margiela shoe originally launched in 1988, which has become ubiquitous within Gen Z street style.
The shoe even became the subject of a viral story on TikTok, in which a New York man stole a pair after a date. The story has accumulated 26.5 million posts that mention ‘Tinder Tabi thief’ on the platform.
It will be intriguing to see what Martens has in store for Margiela, and if the role requires him to move from Diesel full time. As fashion month is almost underway – only time will tell.
