Summary

Kering has officially appointed Martine Rose as the creative director of Balenciaga effective November 16

Rose succeeds Pierpaolo Piccioli marking the first creative leadership hire under Kering CEO Luca de Meo

The British-Jamaican designer previously consulted on Balenciaga menswear and becomes the second Black woman to helm a major European luxury house

French luxury conglomerate Kering has officially confirmed that British designer Martine Rose will become the next creative director of Balenciaga, succeeding Pierpaolo Piccioli. The landmark appointment takes effect November 16, marking a strategic creative pivot for the Parisian house as ownership seeks to revitalize brand momentum and commercial performance.

Rose represents the first creative director appointed by Kering chief executive Luca de Meo, who has simultaneously driven creative shakeups across Saint Laurent, McQueen, and Brioni. Her arrival follows Piccioli’s brief tenure after taking over in July 2025 with a couture-focused, romantic approach, which ended abruptly with his departure announced Thursday. Unlike Piccioli, Rose offers a direct connection to the foundational aesthetic forged under predecessor Demna, having previously consulted and shaped Balenciaga’s menswear while building her own label.

Founded in 2007, Rose’s namesake brand is celebrated for dissecting British subcultures across football, rave, and reggae through an interplay of sportswear and bespoke tailoring. “Balenciaga has always been a house of radical creativity, challenging conventions and redefining the boundaries of fashion. Martine Rose embodies this spirit with a fresh, fearless and deeply contemporary vision,” De Meo stated. The appointment also carries historic cultural significance, establishing Rose as only the second Black woman to helm a major European luxury house following Grace Wales Bonner’s menswear appointment at Hermès.