Kanye Fashion – West Says No to Margiela

In the ever-evolving landscape of fashion, the intersection of music, celebrity, and luxury brands continues to spark conversation. This January, speculation surrounding Kanye West and Maison Margiela sent the industry into a frenzy, following rumors that the rapper-turned-designer had been offered the role of creative director after John Galliano’s departure. While Kanye was quick to shut down the claims, his name being linked to yet another high-fashion house is a testament to his undeniable influence.

With a history of collaborations, groundbreaking sneaker releases, and high-profile partnerships, West has consistently blurred the lines between music and fashion. As he remains focused on his independent brand, YZY, the luxury sector has turned to a new creative force—Glenn Martens—to lead Maison Margiela into its next chapter. With Martens now at the helm, the question remains: 

How will his vision shape the future of one of the most avant-garde houses in fashion?

Kanye West and Margiela: The Rumors, the Rejection, and the Celebrity-Fashion Crossover

Earlier this month, rumors swirled that iconic fashion house Maison Margiela had offered Kanye West the role of creative director following John Galliano’s resignation in December after a decade at the helm. If true, this wouldn’t have been the first time a major fashion brand sought out a musical artist for a leadership position—West’s alleged offer followed in the footsteps of Pharrell Williams, who became creative director of Louis Vuitton in 2023. However, Kanye abruptly ended the speculation. On Monday, January 20, he took to Instagram, posting a screenshot of a Reddit forum titled “Ye at Maison Margiela. What y’all think?” with a blunt caption: “I DON’T COLLAB”. While his statement leaves little room for ambiguity, it adds yet another chapter to the ongoing dialogue about the intersection of music, fashion, and celebrity influence in luxury brands.

Kanye West’s Early Praise for Galliano and the Legacy of Galliano’s Work

Back in 2014, Kanye West was among the first to express excitement over John Galliano’s appointment as creative director of Maison Margiela. Taking to Twitter on October 6 of that year, West shared his enthusiasm: “JOHN GALLIANO is the new creative director of MARGIELA, I heard this rumor when I was in Paris and just received confirmation this morning!” He followed up with reflections on the era-defining shifts in fashion leadership, tweeting, “It is very exciting to see what powerful creatives do at different houses…” and “Hedi at Saint Laurent, Nicolas at Vuitton and now John at Margiela.”

Over the past decade, Galliano has left an indelible mark on Margiela, bringing his signature theatricality and avant-garde vision to the house’s deconstructed aesthetic.

His debut collection, Maison Margiela Spring 2015 Couture, introduced a new era of haute couture for the brand, blending historical references with sculptural silhouettes and artisanal craftsmanship.

The Fall 2015 Couture Collection further solidified his creative direction, with structured coats, sheer layering, and distressed fabrics redefining Margiela’s signature codes.

In The Spring 2017 Couture Collection, Galliano played with ideas of transformation and illusion, using unexpected textures, layered tailoring, and metallic finishes that blurred the lines between reality and fantasy.

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One of his most celebrated moments came in 2018 when he designed Rihanna’s iconic Met Gala look for the Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination theme. The elaborate, bejewelled papal-inspired ensemble, complete with a mitre, became one of the most talked-about red carpet moments of the decade.

Most recently, Galliano’s Maison Margiela Spring 2024 Couture Show was a masterclass in storytelling and craft, with ghostly, drenched-in-mystery silhouettes, Victorian-inspired tailoring, and surreal makeup that transformed models into haunting, dreamlike figures.

With such a prolific tenure, Galliano’s legacy at Margiela is one of reinvention, artistry, and boundary-pushing creativity—one that has left an undeniable impact on the fashion landscape.

Kanye and YZY: The Unstoppable Sneaker Empire

Kanye West has made it clear that his focus remains entirely on YZY, dismissing any speculation about taking on a creative role at Maison Margiela. 

Over the past year, YZY has been making waves with product releases, including the YZY SL-01 Slippers and the highly anticipated Yeezy BL-01 Sneaker. During the recent drop, Kanye revealed that YZY raked in $2.3 million in a single day, proving the brand’s continued influence in the fashion and sneaker space. West’s deep connection to footwear dates back to the 2008 Grammy Awards, where he debuted the Nike Air Yeezy 1s in tribute to his late mother, Donda. Fans had to wait until 2009 for the sneakers’ official release, and years later, the very pair Kanye wore on stage sold for a record-breaking $1.8 million in 2021—the most expensive sneaker sale of all time. Despite this success, creative differences led Kanye to part ways with Nike, taking the Yeezy name with him and solidifying a partnership with Adidas in 2013, following years of collaboration on his “Yeezus” sneakers.

Under Adidas, Yeezy flourished, with the debut of Yeezy Season 1 in February 2015 introducing the Yeezy Boost 750, Yeezy Boost 950 Duckboots, and Yeezy Boost 350s. The Yeezy 350 V2, launched in 2016, became one of the brand’s most iconic silhouettes. By 2019, Adidas declared August 2 as Yeezy Day, an annual event that drove global excitement with exclusive sneaker drops and restocks, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about events in sneaker culture.

Kanye West’s Fashion Journey

Beyond footwear, Kanye has left an unquestionable imprint on the fashion world. His relationship with Maison Margiela dates back to 2013 when he collaborated with the Parisian house for his Yeezus tour wardrobe. The collaboration saw Margiela’s atelier craft 10 couture pieces, 20 ready-to-wear looks, and a series of bejewelled, full-face masks that became synonymous with the tour’s aesthetic. Over the years, Yeezy expanded into high-concept runway shows, often drawing inspiration from militant aesthetics, his music, and futuristic minimalism. The brand’s reach extended even further with the highly publicized Yeezy x GAP collaboration in 2021, featuring a collection of neutral-toned oversized hoodies, puffer jackets, and basics that generated $1 billion in sales within its first year.

YZY’s Independent Rise After Adidas Split

However, in October 2022, Adidas abruptly terminated its partnership with Kanye following a series of antisemitic remarks by the artist on Twitter. The decision, made within a month of the controversy, led to Adidas suffering a reported $252 million loss in Quarter 4 of 2022. In response, Kanye declared that Yeezy would continue as an independent brand. By July 2024, he launched his first collection under the rebranded YZY, offering accessible apparel with nothing costing over $20. The move was met with massive demand, generating 294,357 orders in the first 24 hours and earning $19.3 million in sales. This past December, Kanye followed up with another drop of $20 in basics and footwear, all still available on the YZY website. While he has remained vague about his long-term plans for YZY, it’s clear that the brand remains his primary focus, leaving fashion enthusiasts and fans eager to see what’s next.

Martens Joins Margiela: A Powerful Dual Appointment

Following Kanye West’s decision to turn down the role, Maison Margiela swiftly appointed Glenn Martens as its new creative director on January 29, with the position taking effect immediately. Martens, a seasoned designer known for his avant-garde approach to fashion, has been the creative director of Diesel since 2020—another powerhouse brand under the OTB Group. In a testament to his multitasking abilities, he will continue leading Diesel while simultaneously overseeing Margiela, a challenge he is well-prepared for given his experience. From 2013 to 2024, Martens served as the creative director of Y/Project while also spearheading Diesel’s creative revival.

His leadership at Diesel has been particularly transformative, reviving the brand from the brink of collapse after its 2019 U.S. bankruptcy and propelling it onto LYST’s list of hottest brands by 2022. With both Diesel and Margiela currently driving the majority of OTB Group’s sales, Martens’ dual appointment signals a strategic move to further solidify the conglomerate’s dominance in luxury fashion. As he steps into the role once held by John Galliano, all eyes are on Martens to see how he will infuse his distinct vision into Margiela while continuing Diesel’s remarkable resurgence.

Fashion’s Next Chapter: Reinvention, Innovation, and Legacy

As the dust settles on the speculation surrounding Kanye West and Maison Margiela, it’s evident that the worlds of music, fashion, and celebrity continue to intertwine in ways that redefine industry norms. While Kanye has chosen to focus on YZY, his impact on fashion remains undeniable, shaping trends and challenging traditional structures. Meanwhile, with Glenn Martens now leading Margiela, the brand enters a new era under a designer known for his innovative, boundary-pushing approach. Whether through independent ventures like YZY or the creative reinvention of legacy houses, the industry is in a constant state of evolution—driven by risk-takers, visionaries, and cultural icons who refuse to follow the rules. Fashion enthusiasts will be watching closely to see how both YZY and Margiela move forward, proving once again that fashion is as much about reinvention as it is about legacy.