Glenn Martens, the Diesel designer, has been named creative director at Margiela. He replaces John Galliano, who left the brand in December.

Like the house founder, the new creative director has a love of the avant-garde.

Belgian designer Glenn Martens was named creative director of the Paris fashion house Maison Margiela, taking over the position from John Galliano.

Martens grew up in the Belgian city of Bruges and graduated from Antwerp’s Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 2008. He was famously recruited by Jean Paul Gaultier after Gaultier saw his graduation show and conscripted him as junior designer for his women’s pre-collection and the G2 men’s label.

Belgian designer Glenn Martens was unveiled Wednesday as the successor to John Galliano as creative director of French fashion house Maison Margiela on a busy day of Haute Couture Week

Martens, 41, is currently creative director at Diesel and was promoted internally from within the Italian fashion company OTB Group, which also owns Maison Margiela

Martens was offered a role at Jean Paul Gaultier as junior designer for the women’s pre-collection and his menswear label G2. In 2012, he started his own eponymous label, which made its debut at Paris Fashion Week, and ran for three seasons.

MILAN (Reuters) -Belgian designer Glenn Martens has been appointed as new creative director of Maison Margiela with immediate effect, the brand and its owner OTB said on Wednesday. Martens is currently creative director of Diesel,

Glenn Martens has been named creative director of OTB Group-owned label Maison Margiela, the company announced Wednesday. His appointment is effective immediately. “I feel extremely honored to join the amazing Maison Margiela, a truly unique house that has been inspiring the world for decades,” Martens said in a press release.