If you remember Kendrick Lamar’s blue “Gloria” jacket from the 2025 Super Bowl halftime show, you already know a little about Martine Rose. She designed that custom varsity jacket, and now she’s making fashion history of her own. On November 6, Balenciaga named the British-Jamaican designer its new creative director, making her the first woman to hold the role in the house’s 109-year history. She starts November 16 in Paris, succeeding Pierpaolo Piccioli. (kering.com⁠, theguardian.com⁠, harpersbazaar.com⁠)

From London club nights to luxury fashion

Rose launched her namesake label in London in 2007 with a small collection of shirts. She drew inspiration from the clothes people wore to football matches and on nights out in London. You can see that influence in the way she plays with proportions. A jacket might have shoulders that sit wider than you’d expect, or a familiar sportswear shape might look entirely different once she changes the fit. (martine-rose.com⁠, vogue.com⁠, vogue.com⁠)

She also knows Balenciaga from the inside. Rose previously worked with then-creative director Demna as a menswear consultant. This time, she’s returning to lead the house herself. (reuters.com⁠, harpersbazaar.com⁠)

Kendrick Lamar was already a fan

Before the Super Bowl, Rose designed looks for Kendrick’s Big Steppers tour in 2022. Rihanna and A$AP Rocky have also worn her designs. The “Gloria” jacket is a good example of why the pairing works. Kendrick took a familiar American sportswear staple onto one of the biggest stages in music, and Rose made it feel specific to him by putting one of his song titles across the front. (vogue.com⁠, theguardian.com⁠)

That’s what makes her first Balenciaga collection worth watching. Rose has spent years looking closely at how people actually dress, from the football stands to the dance floor. Now she gets to decide which of those details belong on a Paris runway. I’m curious to see what she does with something as familiar as a varsity jacket when she has the whole house to work with.