Led by Belgian designer Glenn Martens since 2013, Y/Project has only recently gained cult status and the brand is an integral, yet lesser known contributor towards Paris’ new wave of young talent. Schooled in Antwerp, Martens mixes historical references with current streetwear pieces making collections that are steeped in the trashy side of the 90s but always softened with a romantic flourish.
Glen Martens took over the Y/Project, as a menswear brand, from Yohan Serfaty after he sadly passed away. Despite the womenswear line being just four seasons young, it has thrown the spotlight on the Parisian brand – and stylists are obsessed. Everyday essentials like jeans and bomber jackets are souped up with poppers, zips and extraordinary amounts of fabric and styled with luxe velvet or silk eveningwear pieces. Ursina Gysi is the stylist behind these cool combinations and the 90s references throughout the collections are very attuned to her own personal aesthetic.
The new SS17 campaign, shot by Arnaud Lajeunie, is an ode to the brand’s identity and also to Marten’s homeland of Belgium. Juxtaposing contemporary ideas with historical moods is in Y/Project’s DNA and having studied architecture prior to fashion, Glen Martens has a special relationship with the medieval buildings of Bruges.
“There’s a strong clash between austere Gothic architecture and the trashiness of modern-day kitsch; but growing up in Bruges has really influenced my aesthetic. I think this is why I wanted to return there to shoot the new campaign; to reaffirm where I come from and also the codes of Y/PROJECT.” – Glen Martens
We are keeping a serious eye on Y/Project as each season Martens becomes more experimental with colour, fabric and silhouette, and essentially making clothes we really want.