Martine Rose is getting her flowers. The London-based designer, known for her beloved eponymous menswear label, is the new creative director of Balenciaga, the company announced on Friday.
She was long tipped to take the helm at the French maison, having helped shape the brand’s Demna era as a menswear consultant from 2015 to 2018, just as he conceived its signature oversized clothes. Now, she is returning with creative control over the whole house, succeeding outgoing creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who departed on Thursday after just three seasons in the role. Rose will take on the role, based in Paris, effective November 16. Rose will be the first female creative director at Balenciaga in its 109-year history.
“Balenciaga has always been a house of radical creativity, challenging conventions and redefining the boundaries of fashion. Martine Rose embodies this spirit with a fresh, fearless and deeply contemporary vision,” Kering CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement. “Her connection to the new generation and her instinctive understanding of culture bring a new dimension to the house. Her appointment reflects our ambition to keep Balenciaga at the forefront of innovation, creativity and culture.”
“Martine Rose is an extraordinary creative talent with a bold and highly distinctive vision,” Balenciaga president and CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli said. “Her ability to challenge conventions, reinvent silhouettes and bring an unexpected perspective to fashion resonates deeply with the spirit of innovation that defines Balenciaga. We are delighted to welcome her as creative director and look forward to this exciting new chapter for the house.”
Kendrick Lamar wearing a custom Martine Rose jacket at his Super Bowl performance in 2025
hoto: Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images
Rose carries a lot of industry goodwill. Since rumors began swirling on social media about her appointment, scores of editors, stylists, influencers and celebrities rejoiced online. Her offbeat menswear, inspired by British subcultures from football casuals to rave kids, skinheads to reggae heads, has won the designer many fans since she launched her eponymous label in 2007. Not least Kendrick Lamar, who posted about Rose after she made looks for his Big Steppers tour in 2022: “Bucket list to work with Martine Rose…” he posted to his then-12 million Instagram followers, alongside a photo of Rose peace-signing into the camera. Other celebrity fans include Rihanna, A$AP Rocky and Timothée Chalamet, all of whom have been spotted wearing her oversized, sports-infused fits in recent years.
The Balenciaga appointment has come at a good time for the designer. She has faced major challenges at her eponymous label in recent years, since selling a 60% stake in the business to incubator Tomorrow Ltd in 2023. Rose was in a dispute with Tomorrow Ltd over the handling of her brand, which became apparent when she announced she would not produce her FW26 collection in March. Tomorrow released a counter statement, and ultimately, as major shareholders of the brand, they were able to produce the collection, despite Rose’s announcement.
Shortly after, in March of this year, Tomorrow sold Rose’s brand to Italian company The Level Group (Paris label Coperni was also bought by The Level Group, and the founders announced this week that they will shutter the brand). Rose has not staged a fashion show since SS26 last June.
Martine Rose’s last fashion show for SS26
Photo: Isidore Montag / Gorunway.com
Another designer in the Tomorrow/The Level Group’s stable, Charles Jeffrey, posted a video online on October 26, explaining how thrilled he would be if the Martine x Balenciaga rumours were true. “She would be so incredible in the role because she speaks to a community that doesn’t see themselves in the [luxury] space,” he says, “and she does it with such warmth.”
In his ReconKering turnaround plan, Kering CEO Luca de Meo explained that he sees Balenciaga as a house for Gen Z. “Balenciaga is one of the brands that better understands the vibes of the new generation,” he said during the group’s Capital Markets Day in April. Rose also understands those vibes. From her signature entry-level T-shirts, spotted frequently in the Vogue and GQ offices, to her longstanding tie-in with Nike, including the popular Shox mules, Rose knows how to make a hit item that chimes with Gen Z. As the luxury industry grapples with the loss of the aspirational shopper, her high-low approach could be a boon to Balenciaga, as it tries to recapture its young Demna-era fans.
The Nike Shox MR4 x Martine Rose Safety Orange sneakers, worn during Paris Fashion Week Men’s
Photo: Edward Berthelot/Getty Images
Balenciaga’s menswear business was a big opportunity under Demna, so Rose — best known for her men’s — is well placed to continue that trajectory. De Meo also plans to double Balenciaga’s women’s ready-to-wear by 2030, which will be a task for Rose, as she gets used to the new development capabilities of a major house. She doesn’t have the couture experience of a big-name designer like Piccioli. That said, many women already wear her men’s looks, and she has amped up her womenswear output in recent years, creating co-ed collections since 2023. Accessories will be another focus: de Meo added that leather goods continue to become Balenciaga’s most powerful growth engine (led by its Rodeo and City bags); the goal is to further accelerate the leather goods business by 2030.
“It is a true privilege to be appointed creative director of Balenciaga, a house with an extraordinary heritage and a fearless creative spirit,” Rose said. “Balenciaga has been shaped by remarkable creative talents before me. I am committed to honouring this legacy and look forward to creating the next chapter in this rich and beautiful story.”
Rose’s appointment is part of a wider shake-up at Kering, including Anthony Vaccarello’s exit from Saint Laurent, and Seán McGirr’s departure from Alexander McQueen. Their successors are yet to be announced, but many of the names swirling around both roles are women, meaning that by the end of the year, Kering could be a conglomerate with majority-women creative directors.
Editor
Lucy Macguire
