The creative director of Diesel is part of Paris’s new guard of fashion designers spearheading the streetwear revolution, infusing humour into conceptual, forward-thinking collections.
Taking what started out as a men’s label under late founder Yohan Serfaty in 2010, Martens expanded into womenswear, slowly introducing his own codes into the house. Today, Y/Project is one of the most anticipated shows at Paris fashion week, with its finger firmly on the pulse of the city’s dynamic new wave.
Originally from Bruges, Belgium, with a degree in interior architecture, Martens stumbled upon fashion by accident. After applying to the prestigious Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp with nothing more than a few sketches — feeling too young to enter the professional world — Martens was accepted, and graduated first in his class.
After finishing his studies, Martens was offered a role at Jean Paul Gaultier as junior designer for the women’s pre-collection and his menswear label G2. In 2012, he started his eponymous label, which made its debut at Paris Fashion Week, and ran for three seasons.
Martens had been working as first assistant to Y/Project creative director and founder Yohan Serfaty. After Serfaty passed away in April 2013, his business partner Gilles Elalouf convinced Martens to take the helm of the label.
In a few seasons, the Rick Owens -inspired menswear label turned into a brand worn by millennials and A-listers alike. Streetwear is infused with unisex pieces, in collections that echo the conceptual spirit of Belgian designers. Y/Project’s current appeal, that saw Martens craft a suit for Rihanna, lies in the intersection of offbeat references and a singular vision.
Martens joined Diesel as he was appointed artistic director in October 2020. He remains at the helm of Y/Project while working at OTB’s Diesel.
In 2017 Martens was awarded the ANDAM prize, winning $280,000 and a year-long mentorship from Francesca Bellettini , CEO and president of Yves Saint Laurent. It comes as Y/Project is moving into its next stage, with new factory partners in France and Portugal to keep up with growth.
Creative Director
2013 - Present
Founder & Creative Director
2012 - 2013
Junior Designer
VITAL STATISTICS
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Industry insiders including designers Simon Porte Jacquemus and Glenn Martens, H&M CEO Daniel Ervér, e-commerce executives Lauren Santo Domingo and Michael Kliger and more spoke about key challenges and opportunities for their businesses and fashion at large. Meanwhile, McKinsey provided an outlook for 2025.
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The buzzy Belgian designer known for his work at Y/Project and Diesel will create a collection for the Swedish fast-fashion giant, CEO Daniel Ervér and Martens revealed at BoF VOICES 2024. The move is part of a wider push to reassert H&M’s fashion credentials.
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At Shop With Google, Supporting Independent Designers and Celebrating the BoF 500
In partnership with BoF, Shop with Google is celebrating independent designers and entrepreneurs. In addition to providing technology and commercial features designed to support their business models, as part of the partnership, BoF will share lessons for success from leading independent design business The Attico. BoF spoke to Stephanie Horton, Google’s senior director of global commerce marketing, at the BoF 500 Gala.
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What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
