Glenn Martens on Being a Fangirl, Erotic Zones, and Chloë Sevigny | Fashion Neurosis
We recorded this episode in the summer before the announcement that Glenn Martens would be stepping down as Creative Director of Diesel.
Glenn Martens is a Belgian fashion designer and the creative director of Maison Margiela.
Martens graduated first in his class from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and then worked as a Junior Designer at Jean Paul Gautier from 2008 to 2012. Martens had an eponymous label which released three collections, before he joined Y/Project in 2013, quickly becoming Creative Director following the death of co-founder Yohan Sefarty. Martens worked at Y/Project until 2024.
In 2020, he became the Creative Director of Diesel, where he redefined the brand’s approach to denim through experimentation with silhouettes, innovative washes, treatments and materials, while also introducing more responsible practices. He also led collaborations with the Tom of Finland Foundation and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty. Martens announced his departure from the role in September 2026, with his final show at Milan Fashion Week.
In 2025, Martens was announced as the new creative director at Maison Margiela, and will show his fourth major collection with the brand at Paris Fashion Week this month.
Martens won the ANDAM Grand Prize in 2017 with Y/Project and received a special prize, the Family Fund Award, from ANDAM in 2020.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Glenn Martens discuss being a good leader, the sexiness of women’s necks, and designing Chloë Sevigny’s wedding dress.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:21 What are you wearing today?
00:03:50 Designing at Diesel and Margiela
00:08:00 Compliments
00:10:25 Glenn’s mother
00:16:35 Glenn’s early drawings
00:20:05 Childhood obsessions
00:23:11 Danger through design
00:25:58 Insecurity
00:27:56 Bodies
00:31:33 Diesel
00:37:32 Renzo Rosso
00:39:55 Military family
00:42:20 Designing Chloë Sevigny’s Wedding Dress
00:46:41 Necks and sexiness
00:48:50 Attracting through clothes
00:50:12 If you fancy someone…
00:51:34 Affordable fashion
00:56:50 Working with Glenn
00:57:10 Outro
Glenn Martens is a Belgian fashion designer and the creative director of Maison Margiela.
Martens graduated first in his class from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and then worked as a Junior Designer at Jean Paul Gautier from 2008 to 2012. Martens had an eponymous label which released three collections, before he joined Y/Project in 2013, quickly becoming Creative Director following the death of co-founder Yohan Sefarty. Martens worked at Y/Project until 2024.
In 2020, he became the Creative Director of Diesel, where he redefined the brand’s approach to denim through experimentation with silhouettes, innovative washes, treatments and materials, while also introducing more responsible practices. He also led collaborations with the Tom of Finland Foundation and Rihanna’s Savage X Fenty. Martens announced his departure from the role in September 2026, with his final show at Milan Fashion Week.
In 2025, Martens was announced as the new creative director at Maison Margiela, and will show his fourth major collection with the brand at Paris Fashion Week this month.
Martens won the ANDAM Grand Prize in 2017 with Y/Project and received a special prize, the Family Fund Award, from ANDAM in 2020.
In this episode of Fashion Neurosis, Bella Freud and Glenn Martens discuss being a good leader, the sexiness of women’s necks, and designing Chloë Sevigny’s wedding dress.
Part of the Vox Media Podcast Network.
Chapters:
00:00:00 Intro
00:00:21 What are you wearing today?
00:03:50 Designing at Diesel and Margiela
00:08:00 Compliments
00:10:25 Glenn’s mother
00:16:35 Glenn’s early drawings
00:20:05 Childhood obsessions
00:23:11 Danger through design
00:25:58 Insecurity
00:27:56 Bodies
00:31:33 Diesel
00:37:32 Renzo Rosso
00:39:55 Military family
00:42:20 Designing Chloë Sevigny’s Wedding Dress
00:46:41 Necks and sexiness
00:48:50 Attracting through clothes
00:50:12 If you fancy someone…
00:51:34 Affordable fashion
00:56:50 Working with Glenn
00:57:10 Outro