For the first time in 100 years, Balenciaga will be headed by a woman — what is known about Martine Rose
Kyiv • UNN
British designer Martine Rose has been appointed Balenciaga’s first female creative director. She will oversee the men’s and women’s lines.
For the first time in its 109-year history, the fashion house Balenciaga will be led by a woman: British designer Martine Rose has been appointed the brand’s creative director, UNN reports, citing The Guardian.
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The new appointment at Balenciaga marks a breakthrough for a fashion industry dominated by white men. Rose is only the second Black woman to head a major European fashion house. Before her, Grace Wales Bonner achieved a similar distinction when she was appointed creative director of menswear at Hermès in 2025.
Rose, who founded her own brand in London in 2007, has become one of the most influential figures in menswear. She achieved cult status thanks to her streetwear-style collections, in which she celebrates British subcultures, masterfully combining such influences as football, reggae music, and northern soul.
Her clothes are worn by celebrities including Justin Bieber, Timothée Chalamet, and Drake. Rapper Kendrick Lamar not only mentioned her name in one of his songs, but also commissioned an exclusive varsity jacket from Rose bearing the word "Gloria"—the title of one of his tracks. He wore the garment while performing during the hugely successful 2025 Super Bowl halftime show. Rihanna and Hailey Bieber are also among her fans.
Rose will replace Pierpaolo Piccioli in the role; his departure from the Spanish luxury brand, where he worked for 18 months, was announced on Thursday.
Rose said: "It is a great honour for me to become Balenciaga’s creative director—a fashion house with an extraordinary heritage and a fearless creative spirit."
"Before me, Balenciaga was shaped by outstanding creative figures. I want to honour that legacy and look forward to writing the next chapter of this rich and beautiful story." Rose, who is best known for her eponymous menswear brand, previously worked in Balenciaga’s menswear division for three years—during the period when the designer known simply as Demna was at the helm. He popularised chunky "dad sneakers" and bags resembling packets of crisps. At the time, she helped shape the oversized style that became characteristic of that period. She will now oversee both the men’s and women’s lines of the brand.
The publication notes that the appointment is part of a sweeping reorganisation of the portfolio of Kering—which also owns Gucci, Bottega Veneta, and Saint Laurent—being carried out by chief executive Luca de Meo as he seeks to revive the group, which is going through difficult times. In a statement, De Meo said that Rose’s appointment reflects "Kering’s ambition to keep Balenciaga at the forefront of innovation, creativity, and culture."
In a 2023 interview with The Guardian, Rose admitted that she enjoys the challenge of creating menswear. "I don’t want to sound too cool, but I like breaking the rules," she said. "And there are a lot of rules in menswear."
She gained popularity through community-focused events and her choice of unconventional locations for shows. In 2019, she staged an outdoor presentation in a dead-end alley in north London. The following year, she presented a collection at the primary school her daughter attended, and in 2023 she held a show in a closed gay sauna in south London.
In 2023, she was a guest designer at the Pitti Uomo exhibition in Florence—one of the most important events in menswear. There, she paid tribute to the Italo house music genre, which flooded British dance floors in the late 1980s. The show featured both local residents of Florence and the designer’s friends from London.
Rose, who often initiates rather eccentric trends, has reimagined football jerseys, popularized extremely wide-leg jeans, and transformed Nike Shox sneakers into a heeled style that became a genuine hit. In addition, she collaborated with the sports brand to create a collection of clothing with a "genderless" cut, which was presented during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Soon afterward, she became the company Clarks’ guest creative director—the first such appointment in the brand’s 200-year history.
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Rose was born in south London. Her father is Jamaican and worked as an accountant, while her mother is British and a former nurse. Before studying fashion at Middlesex University, Rose completed a foundation course at Camberwell College of Arts.
After graduating in 2002, she launched a T-shirt line with a friend, but closed the business three years later to focus on her own brand. In 2011, as part of the Newgen initiative run by the Fashion East incubator, Rose received financial support and mentorship to develop her brand, joining an alumni circle that included Kim Jones and Simone Rocha. The company’s controlling stake is now owned by the Italian e-commerce firm The Level Group. The business has faced significant financial difficulties, including rising production costs caused by Brexit. Since June 2025, the brand bearing the designer’s name has not held a single show.