For two decades, Martine Rose has built clothes out of the places fashion usually ignores: the rave, the football terrace, the sound system, the south London street. On Monday, November 16, she takes those codes to one of the most powerful addresses in Paris. Kering named Rose creative director of Balenciaga on Friday, November 6, according to the group's official announcement.
The appointment landed one day after Kering confirmed the departure of Pierpaolo Piccioli. Piccioli had joined in May 2025 after 25 years at Valentino, and left after roughly 18 months in the role, AFP reported.
A London Designer in a Paris House
Rose founded her eponymous label in London in 2007. AFP describes a body of work inspired by the rave and hip-hop scenes as well as punk and football, and shows staged in alleys and climbing gyms rather than gilded salons. Kering's own description places her "between underground culture and the international fashion establishment," with a design language rooted in "subculture, music, identity and the social codes of dress."
Born to a British-Jamaican family in Croydon, Rose is 45, per AFP. Vogue reports that she will be the first woman to serve as creative director in the house's 109-year history.
Not a Stranger to the House
The move is a homecoming of sorts. Rose consulted on Balenciaga menswear from 2015 to 2018, during the era of Demna, who now leads Gucci. Vogue notes that she helped shape that period just as the house's signature oversized silhouettes took hold.
In the statement released by Kering, Rose called the role "a true privilege," adding: "I am committed to honoring this legacy and look forward to creating the next chapter in this rich and beautiful story."
Her connection to the new generation and her instinctive understanding of culture bring a new dimension to the House.
That line belongs to Luca de Meo, Kering's chief executive, who framed the hire around youth and culture. Balenciaga president and CEO Gianfranco Gianangeli pointed to her "ability to challenge conventions, reinvent silhouettes and bring an unexpected perspective to fashion."
What Comes Next
Rose is based in Paris for the role, and AFP reports that her first Balenciaga show is set for Paris Fashion Week in February. The brief is broad. According to Vogue, de Meo aims to double Balenciaga's women's ready-to-wear by 2030 and to keep accelerating leather goods, already the house's strongest growth engine.
The appointment also sits inside a wider reshuffle at Kering. Vogue reports exits from the top creative roles at Saint Laurent and Alexander McQueen, with successors yet to be named.
For the crowd that lives between the club and the front row, the significance is plain. A designer who learned her references on dance floors and terraces now sets the tone for a house founded by Cristóbal Balenciaga in 1919. February in Paris just became one of the most anticipated tickets of the season.
