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 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.

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.

Glenn Martens, currently creative director of Diesel, will replace John Galliano at Margiela, amid a creative reshuffle at both brands’s parent company OTB Group.

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

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,

The Diesel and former Y/Project designer will bring his knack for reconstructed denim to the storied French house.

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