Glenn Martens leaves Diesel: a transformative six‑year chapter closes in Milan
Glenn Martens has announced he will step down as creative director of Diesel after six influential years. The designer will close his tenure with the Spring/Summer 2027 collection, scheduled to debut in Milan on 22 September — a runway show that now carries the weight of an ending as well as a celebration. Martens will continue to focus full‑time on Maison Margiela, where he has been steering creative direction since January 2025, but his exit from Diesel marks the close of a chapter that profoundly reshaped the brand’s identity.
From Antwerp graduate to denim revolutionary
Martens graduated from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp in 2008 and quickly attracted attention from established names, including Jean‑Paul Gaultier. He later helmed Y/Project for eleven years, developing many of the signature codes that would define his work: experimental volumes, clever patterning and a playful approach to construction. When he joined Diesel in October 2020, the brief was clear but ambitious: reinvigorate a storied denim brand whose cultural status peaked in the 1990s and 2000s.
What Martens changed at Diesel
Under Martens’ direction, Diesel shifted from a heritage denim house to a progressive, youth‑facing cultural force. He treated denim as a material for experimentation — distressing, printing, reconstructing and even manipulating it to mimic other fabrics. Silhouettes grew bolder, references to Y2K resurfaced, and a deliberately provocative sensuality threaded through the collections. The result was unmistakable: Diesel reclaimed relevance among younger consumers without abandoning its rebellious DNA.
Rethinking the runway: spectacle, inclusion and public engagement
Martens didn’t simply change garments; he reimagined presentation. Shows became events — immersive spectacles that blurred the line between fashion and culture. Diesel’s runway moments included raves, monumental sets, street activations and expanded casting strategies, culminating in the Diesel Egg Hunt in 2025, which turned the city of Milan into a participatory playground for thousands. This approach emphasised inclusivity and community, inviting a broader public into fashion’s traditionally closed spaces.
Two houses, one visionary voice
Notably, Martens balanced the Diesel reinvention with his appointment at Maison Margiela, succeeding John Galliano. Running two significant creative roles simultaneously underlines his rare ability to translate a strong creative signature across different brands and aesthetics. While Margiela leans toward conceptual avant‑garde, Diesel under Martens became the locus of playful subversion and street‑luxe energy.
What his departure means for Diesel
The final show: expectations and symbolic weight
The SS27 runway in Milan will be more than a seasonal presentation; it will act as a ceremonial closing of Martens’ Diesel chapter. Fans, buyers and fashion press will watch closely for signals: echoes of past hits, farewell gestures, or a manifesto for what Diesel meant under his tenure. Given Martens’ flair for theatricality, the show promises to be memorable, mixing nostalgia with forward‑looking design.
How this matters to Princess‑Daisy readers
Looking forward
Martens’ legacy at Diesel is visible not only in garments but in the brand’s renewed cultural relevance: an audacious blend of craft and spectacle that engaged new generations. As he transitions to a full‑time role at Margiela, Diesel will appoint a new creative director to carry the torch. Whether they continue Martens’ experimental course or start a new era, the announcement will be one to watch — and the SS27 show in Milan will be the defining moment that encapsulates an era now ending and the first hints of what comes next.