Diesel Taps Glenn Martens of Y/Project as New Creative Director

The Belgium Reconstructionist Will Oversee Diesel Creative While Simultaneously Designing Y/Project

Y/Project designer Glenn Martens has been named Creative Director of Diesel with the appointment taking effect immediately. The Belgian designer will now oversee all of the global brand’s style, communications, interior design, and overall creativity.

The designer previously teamed with the house in 2018 as one of the guest designers of Diesel’s experimental capsule series Diesel Red Tag. Prior to that he had won the ANDAM award in 2017 of which Diesel parent OTB is one of the supporters. ANDAM continued their support this year awarding Marten’s one of two “family fund awards” of 150,000 euros to support previous winners in the wake of coronavirus.

The 37 year-old-designer grew up in Bruges, graduating in 2008 from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts. Upon seeing his graduation show, Jean Paul Gaultier tapped Martens as a junior designer for his women’s pre-collection and the G2 men’s label. Martens moved on to become the first assistant of Y/Project founder Yohan Serfaty when the independent label was launched in 2010. Martens assumed the creative helm of Y/Project when Serfarty passed from cancer in April 2013.

Y/Project has become a leader in the french independent design scene growing with critic accolades and boutique support. The line is carried in ~150 specialty stores including Ssense, Dover Street Market, Selfridges, Browns, Net-a-Porter, Lane Crawford, Addition Adelaide, Mytheresa.com, Matchesfashion.com, Forward by Elyse Walker, Boon the Shop, Kuznetsky Most and others.

Martens will be working with Diesel CEO Massimo Piombini who joined the house from Balmain in February.

Ever since I met Glenn in 2017 I saw his experience grow and his talent cement. Working with him on Diesel Red Tag, going through our company’s archives and heritage together, seeing him interact with the brand, brought us closer, and I am happy to now see him take the helm of Diesel, where he will marry his design vision with the iconoclastic values of this unique brand

– Renzo Rosso, President OTB

I’m extremely honored and excited to join the Diesel family. Synonymous with radicality, honesty, and optimism, Diesel helped shape the way we see the future. Its unique voice has made it an undeniable icon. Today, more than ever, I feel the need to celebrate these founding values, to build bridges through a message of hope.

– Glenn Martens