Glenn Martens: "I love his warm, easy-going spirit, without snobbery of the Hyères Festival"

He gave back his cool aura to the Diesel label, made the Y/Project brand shine for years and set Jean Paul Gaultier's haute couture catwalk on fire last January.

He has also just “broken the Internet” with Nicole Kidman dressed in his creations on the cover of

magazine .

Glenn Martens is not the new little prince of fashion, rather he has become one of its

those who stir up social networks, agitate concepts, move lines and launch hits of the season.

At 38, the Belgian designer, born in Bruges and a graduate of the Royal Academy of Antwerp, is unquestionably one of the most followed figures of the moment.

Read alsoSize, denim and sex toys: Glenn Martens orchestrates a record show for Diesel in Milan

After having made Y/Project, of which he took over the artistic direction in 2014, one of the most cutting-edge labels in current fashion, he also took over the reins of the Italian giant Diesel in 2021, propelling once again into the heart of Gen Z the favorite jeans of the kids of the 1990s. And despite an overloaded schedule, he immediately said yes to Jean-Pierre Blanc, the founder of the International Festival of Fashion, Photography and Accessories de Hyères, when the latter proposed to him to take the presidency of the fashion jury of the 37th edition (which is held from October 13 to 16 at the Villa Noailles).

Meeting with a marathon runner of creativity who knew how to remain very cool with success.

In video, Y/Project spring-summer 2021 fashion show

Léa Peckre and the Hyères Festival

“In 2011, Léa Peckre, who was one of the finalists for the fashion grand prize in Hyères, asked me to assist her during the festival.

We had met when, on leaving La Cambre, she was doing her internship at Jean Paul Gaultier, where I myself had worked.

She won the award that year!

Rightly so, because her collection was very beautiful, feminine and sophisticated.

And me, personally, accompanying him, I had the impression of living the whole experience of a finalist candidate.

Since then, I go regularly to the Hyères Festival, I love its warm,

without any snobbery, and I am very honored to be the president of the fashion jury this year and to be part of this beautiful family.

muses

“As a child, I was mostly obsessed with romantic historical figures.

That's my Bruges side, I guess.

There was notably Marie de Bourgogne, the Countess of Flanders, with a tragic destiny, but whom I saw a bit like a Disney princess.

My father often took me to visit his sublime tomb in Bruges.

When I launched my own brand (Glenn Martens, Editor's note), I also had in mind these somewhat tragic heroines, such as Elizabeth Siddal, model of the Pre-Raphaelites, addicted to laudanum.

But since Y/Project, I have no muses in mind.

My idea is that all women can find themselves in my fashion.”

My idea is that all women can find themselves in my fashion

Glenn Martins

Feminine friendships

“The first girl I met when I arrived in Paris was called Rain Laurent, an Australian of Chinese origin who wanted to change her life and who did everything to achieve it – with a smile.

We haven't left each other since.

She was the CEO of my brand Glenn Martens, and now she's in charge of Balenciaga's special projects.

Among my great friends, there is also Stéphanie D'heygere, whom I knew at school in Antwerp.

She created jewelry at Y/Project, and today she designs those for Diesel.

I am very family.

Since the beginning of my career, I have worked with the same friends.

This is also the case with Ursina Gysi.

The first time I saw her, I was deeply impressed by her beauty and her way of dressing.

We both grew up at Y/Project,

where she did the styling.

And today, we collaborate at Diesel.

Besides our friendship, what I love and admire in all these girls is their strength of conviction.

My mother and my grandmother

“I was 3 years old when my parents separated.

It was in the 1980s, and I didn't know any children of divorced couples around me.

In Bruges, this was not done.

My mother, Anne, fought to raise me and my older brother.

She worked a lot.

Nurse during the week, she also did housework on weekends.

This left him little time to take care of us.

It was my grandmother Huguette who often took over.

Married to a colonel in the Belgian army, she was a housewife.

I keep in me his unconditional love, his loyalty and his protective side which reassured me.

My mother, she passed on to me the sense of resourcefulness.

Femininity

“I've always played on the notion of gender fluidity in my fashion.

At first, it was pragmatic because I didn't have the means at Y/Project to develop separate men's and women's collections.

So I made the same pieces for both genders, just changing the styling.

Now there are separate lines, but I like that some of the clothing is still

.

My main idea is to reflect diversity.

I don't have a typical image of a woman in mind, mine is very versatile, she can be romantic,

, distant, sensual, sexy... On the other hand, when Jean Paul Gaultier entrusted me with the keys to his house of a haute couture season, I thoroughly played on his goddess wife,

I have always played on the notion of gender fluidity in my fashion

Glenn Martins

The fashion designers

“Phoebe Philo embodies, in my opinion, perfection.

I loved everything about her fashion, the concept, the image, the beauty of the clothes.

I was also a great admirer of the romantic dresses of Madeleine Vionnet – still my side from Bruges – and of the world of Belgian designers like Ann Demeulemeester or Véronique Branquinho.

I loved the somewhat

world of the latter, its colors of grey, forest green and its long, refined silhouettes, always with this little detail that changes the story.

Finally, today, I am a fan of Martine Rose, one of the best designers of the moment, whose fashion language is unique.

She is also, for those who know her a little, of an absolute kindness.

Nicole Kidman

“Last September, Katie Grand (great fashion designer and founder of

, Editor's note) awarded me the Perfect Designer of the Year award and asked me who I wanted to accompany the shoot for this special issue.

“

”, she added.

I put Nicole Kidman on my list, and I was flabbergasted when she said yes.

I saw scrolling in my head all his sublime films 

,

,

,

,

,

and the

where she is great.

She is, in my opinion, one of the greatest actresses in the world, a real chameleon capable of playing everything.

With stylist Robbie Spencer, we selected Diesel and Y/Project pieces for her.

I couldn't go to Nashville for the shoot (city where Nicole Kidman owns a house, editor's note), but the result is simply incredible.