Martine Rose is getting her flowers. The London-based designer, widely celebrated for her beloved eponymous menswear label, has been officially named the new creative director of Balenciaga, the company announced on Friday.
Rose had long been tipped by industry insiders to take the helm at the French maison. Her historical connection to the brand runs deep, having previously helped shape the brand’s pivotal Demna era as a menswear consultant from 2015 to 2018, right as Demna conceived its signature oversized silhouettes. Now, she is returning with complete creative control over the entire house, succeeding outgoing creative director Pierpaolo Piccioli, who departed on Thursday after just three seasons in the role. Effective November 16, Rose will step into the position based in Paris, marking a historic milestone: she will be the first female creative director at Balenciaga in its 109-year history.
“Balenciaga has always been a house of radical creativity, challenging conventions and redefining the boundaries of fashion. Martine Rose embodies this spirit with a fresh, fearless and deeply contemporary vision,” Kering CEO Luca de Meo said in a statement. “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.”
Balenciaga president and CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the distinct perspective she brings to the luxury sphere. “Martine Rose is an extraordinary creative talent with a bold and highly distinctive vision,” Gianangeli said. “Her ability to challenge conventions, reinvent silhouettes and bring an unexpected perspective to fashion resonates deeply with the spirit of innovation that defines Balenciaga. We are delighted to welcome her as creative director and look forward to this exciting new chapter for the house.”
Rose carries a tremendous amount of goodwill throughout the fashion industry. Ever since rumors began swirling on social media regarding her potential appointment, scores of editors, stylists, influencers, and major celebrities have rejoiced online. Her offbeat menswear, drawing heavy inspiration from various British subcultures ranging from football casuals to rave kids, skinheads to reggae heads, has earned the designer a fiercely loyal fanbase since she launched her eponymous label in 2007.
Among her most prominent supporters is Kendrick Lamar, who famously posted about Rose after she crafted custom looks for his Big Steppers tour in 2022. “Bucket list to work with Martine Rose…” he posted to his then-12 million Instagram followers, accompanied by a photo of Rose flashing a peace sign into the camera. Lamar continued this creative partnership into 2025, wearing a custom Martine Rose jacket during his high-profile Super Bowl performance. Other prominent celebrity fans include Rihanna, A$AP Rocky, and Timothée Chalamet, all of whom have been frequently spotted wearing her oversized, sports-infused aesthetic in recent years.
The Balenciaga appointment arrives at a crucial and transformative time for the designer. Rose has faced major operational and structural challenges at her eponymous label recently, particularly after selling a 60% stake in her business to the fashion incubator Tomorrow Ltd in 2023. Tensions eventually arose between Rose and Tomorrow Ltd over the management and handling of her brand. These difficulties became public when Rose announced she would not produce her Fall/Winter 2026 collection in March. Tomorrow subsequently released a counter-statement, and ultimately, as the major shareholders of the brand, they were able to proceed with producing the collection despite Rose’s public announcement.
Shortly after this dispute, in March of this year, Tomorrow sold Rose’s brand to the Italian company The Level Group. The ownership shift placed Rose alongside other independent labels in their stable, such as the Paris label Coperni—whose founders notably announced this week that they would shutter the brand following a relationship breakdown with their distributor. Rose has not staged an official fashion show since her Spring/Summer 2026 presentation last June.
The broader fashion community has rallied behind her transition. Charles Jeffrey, another designer within the Tomorrow and The Level Group stable, posted an enthusiastic video online on October 26, expressing how thrilled he would be if the Martine-and-Balenciaga rumors proved to be true. “She would be so incredible in the role because she speaks to a community that doesn’t see themselves in the [luxury] space,” he said, adding that “she does it with such warmth.”
This ability to connect with diverse communities aligns closely with Kering’s overarching strategy for the brand. In his ReconKering turnaround plan, Kering CEO Luca de Meo explained that he envisions Balenciaga as a definitive house for Generation Z. “Balenciaga is one of the brands that better understands the vibes of the new generation,” he noted during the group’s Capital Markets Day in April.
Rose undeniably shares that intuitive understanding. From her signature entry-level T-shirts—which are spotted frequently within the offices of Vogue and GQ—to her longstanding and highly successful partnership with Nike, which notably yielded the popular Shox MR4 mules, Rose possesses a proven track record of creating culturally resonant hit items that appeal directly to younger demographics. As the broader luxury industry grapples with the continuous loss of the aspirational shopper, her signature high-low approach could provide a vital boost to Balenciaga as it attempts to recapture its young Demna-era fans.
Balenciaga’s menswear business represented a massive growth opportunity under Demna, positioning Rose—who is best known for her expertise in men’s fashion—excellently to continue that trajectory. At the same time, de Meo has outlined ambitious goals to double Balenciaga’s women’s ready-to-wear business by 2030. This expansion will present a new task for Rose as she adapts to the massive development capabilities of a major global luxury house. While she may not possess the traditional couture background of a designer like Piccioli, many women already wear her menswear creations, and she has significantly expanded her womenswear output in recent years by producing co-ed collections since 2023. Accessories will serve as another vital focus area; de Meo noted that leather goods continue to act as Balenciaga’s most powerful growth engine, anchored by lines like the Rodeo and City bags, with a primary goal of further accelerating the leather goods business by the end of the decade.
“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. “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.”
Rose’s appointment arrives amid a wider leadership shake-up across the Kering conglomerate, which has also seen Anthony Vaccarello exit Yves Saint Laurent and Seán McGirr depart from Alexander McQueen. While the successors for those specific houses have yet to be officially announced, industry speculation heavily features prominent female names, raising the distinct possibility that by the end of the year, Kering could stand as a major luxury conglomerate with a majority-women roster of creative directors.
