Martine Rose becomes new creative director of Balenciaga

Martine Rose is the new creative director of Balenciaga. On Friday, the French fashion house confirmed the appointment of the London-based designer, known for her eponymous menswear label. The announcement comes just a day after Balenciaga parted ways with Pierpaolo Piccioli. Rose is the first woman to lead the creative direction of the house in its nearly 110-year history.

“It is a true privilege to be appointed creative director of Balenciaga, a house with an extraordinary heritage and a fearless creative spirit,” said Rose in a press release. “Balenciaga has already been shaped by remarkable creative talents. I feel a responsibility to honour this legacy and look forward to writing the next chapter of this rich and beautiful story.”

The designer, who has long been rumoured to take the helm of the house one day, is well-acquainted with its aesthetic and history. From 2015 to 2018, Rose worked as a menswear consultant for the brand under then-creative director Demna Gvasalia. She subsequently returned her full focus to her own label, which she founded in 2007.

“Balenciaga has always been a house of radical creativity that challenges conventions and redefines the boundaries of fashion. Rose embodies this spirit with a fresh, fearless and deeply contemporary vision,” said Luca de Meo, chief executive officer (CEO) of Kering. “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.”

Rose’s design language is rooted in subculture, music and sartorial codes, shaped by London’s creative scene and her British-Jamaican heritage. She has consistently challenged fashion conventions, particularly those surrounding masculinity, operating at the intersection of underground culture and the international fashion industry. She is renowned for her instinctive sense of proportion, silhouette and fabrication. Furthermore, she is known for translating familiar archetypes and everyday wardrobe staples into culturally relevant, forward-looking designs.

According to US magazine Vogue, the appointment also comes at an opportune moment for Rose herself. In 2023, she sold a 60 percent stake in her company to the brand incubator Tomorrow Ltd, though the partnership later faltered. In March, Tomorrow divested the brand to Italy’s The Level Group, which also backs the Parisian label Coperni, whose founders announced its closure this week. Rose herself has not staged a runway show since her spring/summer 2026 presentation last June.