Glenn Martens - Designer, Creative Director of Diesel & Maison Margiela

[Lola701]

why they would need to turn out Margiela into a billion dollar brand? absolutely disgusting. poor Martin.

Indeed but it was about to happen. I think that unfortunately, Diesel as a brand is not strong enough to hold the group together as the leading cash cow. So Margiela and Jil Sander will be pushed!

He was already splitting time between Paris and Milan at Y/Project. Maybe it'll be ok with Diesel as he's been there 4 years, there's a dictionary and clientele he's built over this period, and probably a team that can support him.
Perhaps he can step back a little with Diesel whilst maintaining an overview, and the majority of time is at MM.
At least both are OTB, so the factories, STAFF International, logistical HQ's are shared, maybe they can figure the best timings and match for him to start with.

Or they can set up a studio for Diesel in Paris.
They have a showroom in Paris I think no?
Because Margiela have their office so that’s not an issue.

Now I’m curious to know if he will meet Martin. It only feels right. Gaultier should make the connection.

 

[MulletProof]

I would have been more excited pre-2023

it's even more depressing if you see Glenn Martens Fall 2012 & Glenn Martens Spring 2013 and then look at 2023-2024 in his career. The industry really does a number on you if principles are not too firm to begin with and in such a short time, because 10 years is really not that long, it certainly did not decimate and reinvent for profit the understanding of design of the legendary designers back in the day. Who knows what Glenn Martens' work will look like in 2033, maybe he'll be the new Isabel Marant.

 

[Marc10]

 

[yslforever]

But that would make him in direct comparison with John’s swan song. He did not choose the easiest way for his first at Margiela.

 

[oioioi]

But that would make him in direct comparison with John’s swan song. He did not choose the easiest way for his first at Margiela.

Maybe it's to do with Renzo's constant pushing or reminding that Margiela is first and foremost a 'cutting-edge couture house'...his words not mine.

 

[LadyJunon]

Maybe it's to do with Renzo's constant pushing or reminding that Margiela is first and foremost a 'cutting-edge couture house'...his words not mine.

Just a little silly question: Did Margiela ever create and present full couture collections during his career, or was that just part of Renzo's elevation strategy following his departure?

 

[oioioi]

Just a little silly question: Did Margiela ever create and present full couture collections during his career, or was that just part of Renzo's elevation strategy following his departure?

Depends how you want to use the term 'full couture', Martin created and showed Artisanal collections which always felt like an appropriate, democratic word to describe/title those 'couture' collections he worked on (and Matthieu Blazy after).
Even though John still showed under the Artisanal title, his process is much more in line with his showmanship/theatrical Dior HC process.
John is uninspired by AVP (MM's Pre-collections), with Renzo they decided to push Couture as a marketing communication strategy to try to 'elevate the brand' and let it trickle down to the other lines.

 

[LadyJunon]

Depends how you want to use the term 'full couture', Martin created and showed Artisanal collections which always felt like an appropriate, democratic word to describe/title those 'couture' collections he worked on (and Matthieu Blazy after).
Even though John still showed under the Artisanal title, his process is much more in line with his showmanship/theatrical Dior HC process.
John is uninspired by AVP (MM's Pre-collections), with Renzo they decided to push Couture as a marketing communication strategy to try to 'elevate the brand' and let it trickle down to the other lines.

I mean as in the whole "two seperate collections presented in January/June" thing like Chanel and Dior do. You answered my question though, so thank you.

 

[hamburgers]

^
Artisanal was peppered in the regular runways and iirc you could buy some of it casually like rtw at a store then they did the first discrete artisanal presentation for hc fw06 and then regularly every season from hc fw07 onwards so he did 4 10ish look artisanal collections before he retired. All of them (including post Martin) should be on WWD or firstview

It's wild that we used to have 6 margiela fashion shows a year in the 2010's but in the past 5 years we've only had like 4 total

 

[Cocteau Stone]

John is uninspired by AVP (MM's Pre-collections), with Renzo they decided to push Couture as a marketing communication strategy to try to 'elevate the brand' and let it trickle down to the other lines.

It’s also a very John way of working too so Renzo used it to his advantage. At both Givenchy and Dior, the couture always informed the RTW collections and even informed his own line at the time. Pre-collections were like an extreme dilution (similar to how Prada used to do them, either as their own or in the Menswear presentations).

It doesn’t entirely work for Margiela though. Marketing wise it’s very short lived but also the purpose of the artisanal was still to subvert the everyday, but now it’s so showy and “exclusive” in a saccharine sense. Again, it became really informed by John’s approach but that’s where I find him a touch dated. It works to an extent, but then the cycle of more, more, more rinsed and repeated.

 

[oioioi]

Again, it became really informed by John’s approach but that’s where I find him a touch dated. It works to an extent, but then the cycle of more, more, more rinsed and repeated.

I agree about the touch dated and not necessarily working at Margiela.
What I missed is how strong the tailoring from Margiela used to be (of course John has fantastic technical abilities too) - whether from the show, AVP. I felt you could find a great wardrobe as well as showy pieces before for my female and male friends, peers in the different creative industries. My favourite trousers that make me feel good, confident with design in its cut/or detail are all pre-John Margiela, Phoebe Celine and Rick Owens.
Under John it is him of course, but also quite 'clowny' for lack of a better word. (lol will probably get bashed for saying that)

 

[chalayan]

the first three or four years of john's margiela showed some promise but it absolutely became a clown show after those initial dozen seasons. to be quite honest, i'm not sure he's had anything new or interesting to say since at least 2006. as for glenn, i'm hoping he'll be able to bring back the discreet luxury martin's work was known for. the subversion of the mundane, the abstract tailoring. less historical costumes.