Martine Rose is the new creative director of Balenciaga. Born in 1980, the Anglo-Jamaican will move from London to Paris starting November 16th, taking over the role left by Italian designer Pierpaolo Piccioli, whose tenure as creative director of the Kering Group house, which ended on Thursday, lasted less than 16 months.
Focusing on haute couture with him didn't work for a brand that had enjoyed its heyday under the creative direction of Demna, now busy relaunching Gucci. It was the Georgian designer himself who hired Martine Rose as a menswear consultant for Balenciaga in 2015. After that three-year experience, her current challenge as the brand's creative director, the first woman to hold the position, is to transform the London subcultures she's been inspired by into a driving force capable of bringing Generation Z back to Balenciaga : not just menswear, but also womenswear and leather goods.
"This appointment is a true privilege at a house with an extraordinary heritage and a bold creative spirit. Before me, Balenciaga was shaped by exceptional creative talents. I am determined to honor this legacy and look forward to writing the next chapter of this rich and wonderful story," commented the designer. Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, has placed his trust in her to restore volumes and sales for the brand.
"Balenciaga has always been a house of radical creativity, capable of challenging conventions and redefining the boundaries of fashion. Martine Rose perfectly embodies this spirit with a new, courageous, and profoundly contemporary vision. Her connection with the new generations and her natural understanding of culture bring a new dimension," noted the top manager, who joined Kering after a long and successful stint in the automotive industry . For Gianfranco Gianangeli, Chairman and CEO of the brand, the London-based designer "is an extraordinary creative talent, endowed with a bold and highly distinctive vision. Her ability to challenge conventions, reinvent silhouettes, and bring a fresh perspective to fashion deeply reflects the spirit of innovation that distinguishes Balenciaga."
