Glenn Martens x H&M revealed: A conceptual twist on British fashion

When H&M announced its "landmark partnership" with Glenn Martens late last year, few could have predicted the twists that would follow. Now, the Belgian designer who was recently appointed Creative Director of Margeila, is unveiling his exclusive capsule collection.

Martens, known for reimagining denim at Diesel and reshaping Y/Project, said in a press conference that the collection is almost "a love letter to my time at Y/Project and the CEO who passed away."

At the time of the announcement in November 2024, even H&M didn’t know Martens would soon step into his new role as Creative Director of Maison Margiela. Yet the collaboration, developed long before that seismic move, feels like a full-circle reflection of his past and future - one that balances conceptual design with accessibility.

"We wanted to take H&M archetypes and give them a Glenn Martens twist," the designer explained at the press preview. "Every single garment can be manipulated, made sleeker or more boyish. It’s really fun, it has so much personality."

Expect sculptural silhouettes, convertible jeans with hook-and-eye fastenings. Foil-lined checked shirts can be manipulated to suit the wearer, while scrunched fishing boots bring conceptual fashion by the truckloads.

The designer's hero piece? The sculptural "scrunch bag" that can be reshaped and manipulated. "It’s probably the best bag I’ve seen in the industry," he said with a grin.

For H&M, it’s about pushing boundaries without losing wearability. "It’s a matter of balance and finding someone who fits with H&M," said Ann-Sofie Johansson, H&M’s Creative Advisor. "Glenn is passionate about democratising fashion. Some designs don’t make it through as they don’t fit with the brand, it’s all about balance."

She added: "I truly think this is one of the most creative collaborations we have ever done. Glenn is such a talent and a radical thinker and these are exceptional designs that play with archetypes and the very essence of what it means to get dressed each day. The campaign is so special – already iconic."

The collection plays with the familiar - boxer shorts, classic shirts, tailored trousers - but each piece invites transformation.

Martens and H&M rooted the collection in Britain’s sartorial heritage. "We went to Britain to think of stereotypical wardrobes," he said. "It's preppy, aristocratic, Highland vibes. It's almost like creating the family portrait of stereotypical Brits".

That family portrait is brought to life in a witty campaign inspired by a Victorian painting of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert at Balmoral. The 2025 version replaces royal grandeur with scaffolding, British trinkets and pigeons galore. During the press conference, the designer hinted that we can expect a witty yet fabulous cast of British talent front and centre of the scaffolding... and did they deliver? With Joanna Lumley and Richard E. Grant centre stage, they certainly did.

In fact, Lumley said: "It was great fun to be a part of Glenn Martens’s and H&M’s special family portrait. I always say that the best fashion is rule-breaking – people should wear whatever they want to wear – and I admire Glenn’s daring spirit and eye for twisting things in unusual ways."

Grant added: "What a special opportunity to team up with Glenn Martens, Joanna Lumley and H&M. I love the spirit of the collection – everyone can wear it in their own way and bring out their personality. The shoot was a riot! I enjoyed playing the patriarch of this stylish and yet motley crew!"

For H&M, this collaboration marks two decades since its first designer partnership with Karl Lagerfeld - and Martens may just have delivered the most conceptual and witty one yet.

Glenn Martens x H&M will be available online and in select stores from 30 October 2025.