Legacy continues: Glenn Martens released H&M campaign

Since 2004, H&M has been releasing collaborative collections with some of the biggest names in fashion. The series began with Karl Lagerfeld and has since included Versace, Comme des Garçons, Marni, and Maison Margiela, the latter still having archivists hunting for the iconic leather belt jacket born from their 2012 collaboration.

This year’s addition to the line-up is none other than Glenn Martens, the Belgian designer celebrated for his transformative work at Y/Project and his current creative direction at Diesel and Maison Margiela.

The collection is quintessential Glenn Martens. It builds on the architectural language he honed at Y/Project, a brand he reshaped entirely in his own image. With a background in interior design, Martens approaches fashion as a structural study, building each piece from the inside out, from scaffolding to skin. The H&M collaboration reflects this beautifully, with, my personal favourites, the wired constructions forming gravity-defying knee-high boots and sculptural silhouettes that feel almost engineered.

Yet for all its structure, Martens never loses his sense of fluidity. His dresses drape and scallop in motion, softening the edges of his rigid architecture. It is this balance, the academic meeting the organic, that makes his work so compelling. His mastery of misdirection keeps you looking closer, searching for the trick or easter egg he has left behind.

Given full access to H&M’s extensive archive, Martens pulled references with precision and purpose, creating a collection that feels both nostalgic and new. It proves that even in the fast-paced world of high-street collaborations, design can still carry depth, intention, and craft.

The collection will be available in the region on October 30th