To say that Glenn Martens, the Bruges-born Belgian creative director of Y/Project and Diesel, is a hot, new fashion figure to know is both right and wrong.
It’s true that Martens has had a standout season: his Y/Project collection was one of the Fall/Winter 2022 season’s buzziest; shortly after that, he presented his guest-designed haute couture collection for Jean Paul Gaultier, and as this year opens his first batch of designs for a creatively-refreshed Diesel are dropping.
And who could forget Kanye West pulling full racks of S/S ’22 Diesel for Julia Fox on the full-steam-ahead couple’s second date?
But it’s also true that Martens has been an influential, cult figure of fashion for years. Since taking over the Paris label Y/Project in 2013, following the death of the label’s founder Yohan Serfaty, Martens has scooped up coveted accolades like the ANDAM Prize in 2017, and an LVMH Prize nomination in 2016. There’s even been a collaboration with Uggs on thigh-high sheepskin boots that went viral courtesy of Rihanna.
Glenn Martens
However, this swirly moment of confluence – Y/Project, Diesel, Ye, JPG couture – has made Martens a name to really know and watch out for.
There is his signature dose of high-concept dressing at Y/Project, where clothes used to come with instruction guides for how to wear them. (For example: helpful directives to make sense of clothing with five sleeves instead of two.)
Martens’ is the second guest designer for Jean Paul Gaultier’s couture collection, picking up from where his predecessor Chitose Abe of Sacai left off last season.
On the other end of the spectrum, there are accessible, everyday denim staples at Diesel. And on a whole other level, there’s also Martens’ vision of full-tilt opulence and glamour courtesy of haute couture for Gaultier. To top it all off, a pop culture boost by the closely-watched Ye-Fox couple.
Ahead, a look at some of Martens’ inventive new designs and a little about the man himself.
