Industry insiders praise the powerful and emotional first collection from the new Margiela creative director.
Glenn Martens’s highly anticipated debut at Maison Margiela left a lasting impression on the fashion world. The show combined emotional depth, rebellious spirit, and a clear nod to the house’s heritage—marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for the iconic brand.
A Show That Resonates with Today’s World
The collection featured striking details like thrifted fabrics, metallic drapes, dip-dyed nails, feathers, and models wearing masks reminiscent of Martin Margiela’s original Artisanal shows. Unlike the past, where masks kept focus on the clothing, here they added to an atmosphere of gloom and anarchy—perfectly capturing post-pandemic moods and millennial anxieties.
Carine Roitfeld, Vogue World Paris creative director, summed up the mood: “After this show, we like fashion again.” The collection balanced delicate vulnerability with bold rebellion, reflecting contemporary fears while offering a sense of liberation and joy symbolized by the colorful balloons at the afterparty.
Bridging Legacy and Modernity
Martens, who also leads Diesel, is no stranger to OTB, Maison Margiela’s parent company. Renzo Rosso, OTB’s founder, entrusted him with this role to bring Margiela into the modern era while honoring its creative roots. The parallels between Martens and founder Martin Margiela run deep—both graduated from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts and started their careers with Jean Paul Gaultier.
Fashion insiders praised Martens’s ability to honor Margiela’s legacy while injecting fresh energy. Judd Crane of Selfridges noted, “The first look referenced Martin Margiela’s degree collection in Antwerp, and the corsets were totally John Galliano. Yet everything else—the feathers, shapes, and embroideries—was pure Glenn.”
What the Industry Is Saying
David Martin, editor-in-chief of Odda magazine, called the show “a masterpiece of balance between all the designers that came before him and himself.” Curator Alexandre Samson expressed excitement for Martens’s wild and colorful vision, describing the collection as “extraordinary” and “special.”
Martens’s debut collection marks a new era at Maison Margiela—one that embraces creativity, emotional intensity, and relevance to today’s generation.
