Glenn Martens was born under a lucky star. The fashion design graduate of the esteemed Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp was one of the lucky fews to be chosen by Didier Grumbach – the head of the French Federation of Couture and Ready to Wear – to debut on the Parisian womenswear schedule with his very first presentation of his eponymous brand – all the while being chaperoned by Bruno Pieters.
Networking seems to be as much of a strength of Martens as designing: his creative team includes Rain Laurent, right hand-woman of Diane Pernet, as commercial director, Annabel Fernandes, an editor for Purple Magazine, as art director and Bianca O’Brien as model. Surround yourself with the right people and half of the job is done! As a matter of fact, a Warholesque “factory” attitude was apparent in the designer’s Parisian atelier/living-space: artists or friends went in and out sometimes working, sometimes just popping in for a coffee and a chat. It’s a very laid-back yet fruitful atmosphere – a casual attitude that rubbed off on Marten’s debut collection: wide and boxy shapes make for a sporty-chic element, while clearly defined lines and sharply cut silhouettes bring in the famous architectonic style attributed to Belgian designers. Sleek caught up with Martens during fashion week:
You studied fashion design at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. We guess that this prestigious and conceptual school has rubbed off on your personal take on fashion.
Glenn Martens: The Academy aims towards creating independent designers: you’re basically forced to find your own way, to create your own style. This helps a lot when you find yourself suddenly exposed to the fashion industry after finishing your studies. I used to work for Jean Paul Gaultier and did some smaller freelance design jobs, so I was used to different types of working situations within fashion before starting my own brand. But after training my skills out there, I felt like I needed to go back to what the school actually taught me to do to: express my own vision within fashion. This said, I see my brand more like a family; it’s about sharing and working on ideas with people you love. I’m surrounded by great friends who have a decisive impact on my brand. I could have never pulled this up on my own.
Your sleek and sharp silhouettes are inspired by the Late Gothic aesthetics of your hometown Bruges. How is Flemish primitive refinement à la Rogier van der Weyden funneled into your contemporary, sporty looks?
GL: It’s very graphic still, even if it looks clean at first sight. The construction folds on skirts, the opulent pleats on dresses… I wanted to have a nostalgic essence in my collection, but at the same time it was really important for me to create wearable silhouettes. Back in Antwerp, it was always about being very experimental and not caring about commercial aspects. But in the real world, I actually want women to wear my pieces. This way the clothes turned out very comfortable even if the inspiration sounds heavy. I used casual jersey and loose wool, which we strengthened in order to get sharp lines – I think it pretty much explains this ambiguity that lies between the collection and its background story. At the end of the day, I just think it’s nice to do wearable garments. As for Bruges, the story of the town just fascinates me. The drama of its Gothic surroundings is in my veins as I grew up there. It’s obviously well known for Flemish Old Masters during the late Gothic and early Renaissance period. I like to use these very medieval aesthetics and clash them with contemporary ones. You might also have noticed this in the way we worked on our fabrics: dusty moirés turned into shiny bomber jackets, carefully hand-pleated bustier dresses out of nylon and silk – I just love to merge opposites. The dualism keeps me going.
Have a closer look at Glenn Martens collection hier.