Who Is Martine Rose? 5 Things to Know About Balenciaga's First-Ever Female Creative Director

Balenciaga is entering a new creative chapter, this time with a designer who has spent much of her career challenging the conventions of menswear. Following Pierpaolo Piccioli's departure from the fashion house on November 5, 2026, Kering officially announced British-Jamaican designer Martine Rose as his successor the following day. She is set to assume the role on November 16.

The appointment is a historic one, making Martine the first woman to serve as Balenciaga's creative director in the house's 109-year history. But she isn't exactly a stranger to the brand. She previously worked behind the scenes during Demna's tenure and has since built a name for herself through her independent label and collaborations with some of the biggest names in fashion and music.

There's plenty to know about the designer before she takes the reins. Here are five things that offer a closer look at Martine Rose.

Martine's appointment might feel like a new direction for Balenciaga, but she has already had a hand in shaping the house's menswear. In 2015, then-creative director Demna brought her on as a menswear consultant, a position she held for three years.

In a 2018 interview with Hypebae, Martine explained that the opportunity came about after Demna expressed an interest in her work. The two eventually connected and began collaborating on the house's menswear collections. It was also her first time working with a major luxury fashion house, having previously focused on building her own label.

Before Balenciaga came calling for a second time, Martine had already spent nearly two decades developing her own fashion identity. She established her eponymous London-based label in 2007, initially starting with a small collection of shirts before gradually expanding into a full menswear line.

She caught the attention of Fashion East founder Lulu Kennedy, who supported her work in 2011, helping introduce her designs to a wider fashion audience. Since then, the label has developed a distinctive visual language built around unconventional proportions, oversized silhouettes, unexpected fabric combinations, and references to streetwear and subcultures.

According to her own website, Martine's approach to fashion is closely tied to the communities and environments that have shaped her. Her Jamaican-British heritage, combined with London's eclectic mix of music, fashion, and youth cultures, has played a significant role in developing her design perspective.

This influence extends beyond the clothes themselves. Martine has also become known for staging fashion shows in unconventional locations that reflect her interest in community and everyday life. Past presentations have taken place in Tottenham's covered markets, a residential cul-de-sac in Camden, and even her daughter's primary school.

Martine's influence isn't limited to her own collections. Over the years, she has collaborated with several recognizable names across fashion and sportswear, including Nike, Stüssy, Tommy Jeans, Clarks, Napapijri, and Supreme.

Her projects often take familiar pieces and give them a distinctly Martine Rose treatment. Think exaggerated proportions, unexpected color combinations, reworked sportswear, and footwear that doesn't necessarily follow conventional design rules.

Her Nike collaborations, in particular, have produced some of her most recognizable work, including the MR4 mule, which reimagines the classic Shox silhouette with an unconventional open-back construction.

One of Martine's most notable relationships outside the fashion industry is with rapper Kendrick Lamar. Their creative partnership dates back to 2022, when she designed custom looks for his The Big Steppers Tour. Since then, her designs have appeared in several of his performances and music projects.

For the 2023 Grammy Awards, where Kendrick won Best Rap Album for Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers, he wore a look from Martine's Autumn/Winter 2023 collection. She also contributed several outfits to the music video for his 2024 track "Not Like Us."

Their collaboration reached another high-profile moment during the 2025 Super Bowl LIX halftime show. Kendrick took the stage in a custom blue leather varsity jacket designed by Martine, featuring the word "Gloria" across the front, a reference to the closing track of his album GNX. The jacket also featured several personal details connected to the record, including references to other tracks and his creative company, pgLang.