Martine Rose Named Balenciaga Creative Director, Making History

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Balenciaga is entering a new era with a familiar face. Martine Rose, the British-Jamaican designer who served as a menswear consultant under Demna at the brand, is officially taking over the post following Pierpaolo Piccioli’s departure. The news was confirmed by Balenciaga’s parent company, Kering, on Friday.

“It is a true privilege to be appointed Creative Director of Balenciaga, a House with an extraordinary heritage and a fearless creative spirit,” Rose said in a statement. “Balenciaga has been shaped by remarkable creative talents before me. I am committed to honoring this legacy and look forward to creating the next chapter in this rich and beautiful story.”

Martine Rose spring/summer 2026.

While Rose might be a new face to the mainstream, she’s something of an industry darling among those in the know. Born in South London, she launched her namesake menswear label in 2007, drawing on 1990s counterculture and youth scenes, hip-hop, reggae, and football. Her design philosophy challenges conventional ideas of masculinity and gives familiar wardrobe staples an unexpected twist: She might stretch a suit’s proportions or turn sportswear into something sharper and more formal.

Rose, however, is more than a cult designer. Her clothes have found fans in Hailey Bieber, Timothée Chalamet, and Rihanna. In 2021, she sold a 60 percent stake in her brand to London-based fashion accelerator Tomorrow and has sidestepped the traditional fashion calendar for more community-focused showings. Her appointment at Balenciaga brings her back to the house and is also history-making: She is the first woman to lead the brand creatively.

Balenciaga menswear spring/summer 2017.

From 2015 to 2018, Rose was brought on by Demna as a menswear consultant, helping launch Balenciaga’s first menswear collections and shape the oversized proportions and brutalist, severe aesthetic that became a signature of his tenure. Her influence on contemporary menswear has earned her the moniker “Your Favorite Designer’s Favorite Designer” among insiders.

“Demna was so brave in giving me a real shot,” Rose told British Vogue in 2021. “Up until that point, I was basically squatting,” she said. “It gave me the chance to actually do something, to put it all back into my own label and make a proper jump forward. It also gave me confidence.”

Rihanna in a Martine Rose track jacket in 2023.

Timothée Chalamet in a Martine Rose suit at the Complete Unknown London premiere in 2025.

“Balenciaga has always been a house of radical creativity, challenging conventions and redefining the boundaries of fashion,” Luca de Meo, CEO of Kering, explained. “Martine Rose embodies this spirit with a fresh, fearless, and deeply contemporary vision. 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 will be based in Paris and begin her role on November 16; the date of her first show has not yet been announced.