Glenn Marten’s debut at Diesel has secured his ownership of 2022’s fashion month. While not only reaffirming his exceptional talent as a creative director and designer in a new landscape, his well-deserved rise is a symbol of incoming cultural shift that feels momentous and exhilarating. Angular, sexy, nostalgic, maximalist and perhaps slightly ironic, the spectacle of this year’s Milan Fashion Week is incredibly promising, especially to us who cannot resist the seduction and sweetness of Y2K fashion’s experimental revival.
Martens has spent years cultivating the perfect balance of cultural capital and credit. From his education at the prestigiously avant garde Royal Academy of Fine Arts, to recurring successful collections at Y-Project, Martens has created a reputation of not only consistently expressing his singular perspective, but entirely reinvigorating brands at strategic gridlocks both creatively and commercially. Alongside the past decade’s art world-adjacent brands such as Eckhaus Latta, Vaquera and Acne Studios, Martens was able to cement Y-Project as a real influence and fashion week staple.
As we begin to give to give shape to the exciting and almost palpable cultural transformation happening in fashion and media at large, we now have coined this phenomena as the “vibe shift.” However informally, the baptism of this period, following the aftermath of the - I’m literally so sorry - global pandemic, is pre-contexted by half of the last decade sometimes referred to as the “Lost Era.” The remarkable unremarkableness of the lost era has died, and in its characteristic emptiness, key shifts have taken place. Most notably, the dissolution of Kimye’s marriage, the lasting effects of Demna Gvasalia’s Balenciaga, and the rise of a promising new star, Julia Fox (my beloved it-girl of choice but more on that later) are the pillars of a zeitgeist that is a clear reaction to its predecessors.
Martens’ breakthrough at Diesel comes right after his viral collections for YProject’s collaboration with Jean Paul Gaultier, and for Jean Paul Gaultier Haute Couture. In other words, Glenn Martens had our attention in a vice, only to be beaten by - Glenn Martens. The moment is a standout in Martens’ packed resume. Fresh out of the Royal Academy in Antwerp in 2004, Martens began his career at Gaultier as a junior designer. In an interview at Vogue, he says, “I had friends who went elsewhere to work, and they were under a lot of pressure,” he said, “but with Jean Paul, it was about enjoying life, having fun. I try to make Y/Project the same: take the job seriously, but don’t ever poison the atmosphere.” I can only infer that it is this joy, instilled into Martens in his early professional stages, that is the foundational key to his recurring ability to capture the adoration of anyone paying attention.
Martens’ work for Gaultier was sensual yet biting. Martens faithfully interacted with Gaultier’s repertoire of boudoir glamour, with a recurring theme of Martens signature abstraction, contoured into couture silhouettes. The true signal of Martens’ maturation and sheer ability was Look 18 - a ballet slipper-rose bodice styled with flowing denim. The select few who can communicate denim into couture with sincerity earn their place in history.
Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2022 Couture
Photo Credit: Arnauld Lajeunie
Unsurprisingly, Martens’ debut at Diesel is a celebration of the label’s history accelerated for the Euphoria generation. Shredded denim and worn leather are fixed into exaggerated belts functioning as miniskirts (this is a MiuMiu skirt meme safe zone) and cropped corsets. Trompe l’oeil denim print, a budding trend also found on select leather Balenciaga Hourglass purses, made an appearance throughout, incorporating contemporary fashion’s re-established boundaries and humour. Padded trenchcoats gussetted to create volume and drama were cinched by skinny and rectangular belt buckles, a true callback to early 2000s style. Diamanté embellishments and dark wash jeans showcase two of my major trend predictions for 2022 - deep blue denim with contrast stitching and crystal embellishments will flourish in the upcoming trend cycle. Hyper-pop prints, trousers slung low on the hip and pants reinforced with motorcycle racing gear padding continue ongoing themes of McBling excess, club-friendly printed sets and bulky Alpinestars-inspired performance wear, most recently championed by Kanye West in his Donda 2 installation.
Prior to Martens’ arrival, Diesel was navigating a series of challenges. In 2013, following a gradual decrease in popularity, Diesel’s founder Renzo Rosso expressed shock at the speed of which luxury conglomerates were signing young names. Rosso, the Italian entrepreneur who also owns Maison Margiela, Viktor and Rolf, Marni, Amiri and Jil Sander has long been considered a commercial genius in the world of fashion industry. After courting a buyout with Cavalli in in 2014, Rosso hired legendary stylist Nichola Formichetti as the next visionary behind Diesel that same year. In 2017, Formichetti departs and Diesel acquires Inditex’s (aka the biggest fast fashion company in the world) Marco Agnolin as Chief Executive. In 2019, trouble seems imminent as Diesel declares bankruptcy. After shuttering stores and slimming operations, CEO Massimo Plombini develops a plan to revive the denim icon, centring a new strategy with Glenn Martens at its core. Martens’ performance cements that any plan with his golden touch quickly transforms into a sensation.
My predictions: Martens’ next greatest challenge will be designing an it-accessory, most importantly a bag, that encapsulates the playfulness and stimulation of this intoxicating collection. With the support of Diesel’s decades-long expertise in creating a must-have moment even pre-social media, there is the possibility of transitioning Martens’ already impressive oeuvre into accessories as well. After the Y-Project Y belt became the member’s-only signal for those in-the-know, it is certain that Martens has the capacity to advance in this realm.
Elsewhere - a resurge of interest in Ungaro, Cavalli, vintage and floral Escada, Krizia, and a major moment for DSquared. Keep a close eye on your Depop and Ebay watchlists if you’re wise enough to purvey these brands!
Julia Fox wears YProject by Glenn Martens pantaboots, KNWLS by Charlotte Knowles leather jacket, and Balanciaga Mini City Bag.