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Glenn Martens Debuts Upcycled Artisanal Couture at Maison Margiela

Martens’s subterranean Artisanal debut fused Margiela’s signature masks with thrifted materials in a theatrical setting that OTB founder Renzo Rosso hailed as the start of a ‘new era’.

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Glenn Martens — a fellow Belgian, like the brand’s founder Martin Margiela himself, and a native of Bruges — has long drawn inspiration from the city’s medieval cathedrals and Flemish art.
Balenciaga's couture collection felt like a natural continuation of exiting designer Demna’s work.
Elie Saab reportedly rewatched of Sofia Coppola’s 2006 cult classic “Marie Antoinette” during the design process of creating his new collection.

Overview

  • Glenn Martens staged his debut Artisanal couture show on July 9 in the decaying subterranean space of Le Centquatre-Paris, complete with papier-mâché walls, a harpsichord opener and a vintage spoon invitation.
  • Models wore face-obscuring masks that evoked Martin Margiela’s spring 1989 Artisanal debut, walking in clear plastic gowns and couture silhouettes that suggested decay and antiquity.
  • Martens sourced much of his collection’s materials from Parisian thrift chain Guérissol, emphasizing upcycling and eco-conscious craftsmanship within haute couture.
  • Renzo Rosso, founder of Margiela’s parent company OTB, praised Martens’s “unbelievable” ideas and said they would serve as the foundation for a new era at the house.
  • Celebrated figures like Carine Roitfeld hailed the show’s emotional intensity and declared that Margiela’s debut had renewed excitement for fashion.