Glenn Martens Is Closing His Diesel Chapter

Glenn Martens joined Diesel in October 2020 after first working with the brand through its experimental Red Tag project in 2018. His remit eventually stretched far beyond clothing, encompassing campaigns, stores, communications and the wider visual universe of the brand.

Denim became his laboratory. Jeans were distressed, coated, shredded, illusion-printed and pushed into increasingly strange silhouettes, while the 1DR bag introduced another recognisable product code. His runway spectacles became equally important: giant inflatable figures, mountains of condoms, enormous denim installations and shows opened to thousands of members of the public turned Diesel into one of Milan Fashion Week’s most accessible spectacles.

That repositioning also produced business momentum. OTB reported that Diesel achieved its strongest profitability result in a decade in 2025 following years of investment in the brand.

Glenn Martens has held the Maison Margiela creative directorship since January 2025, meaning he spent nearly two years overseeing two major OTB houses simultaneously. His Diesel exit finally ends that unusual double role. No successor has yet been announced.

His final collection therefore carries more weight than a routine seasonal goodbye. Diesel entered the 2020s needing renewed cultural relevance; six years later, its denim, campaigns and runway language once again occupy a distinct place in contemporary fashion.

September 22 will close that transformation on the runway, leaving Glenn Martens free to concentrate entirely on his next chapter at Maison Margiela.