Martine Rose may not be a household name, but her designs have dominated some of 2025’s most iconic pop culture moments. From Kendrick Lamar’s bold leather varsity jacket at the Super Bowl to Timothée Chalamet’s e-bike arrival at a London premiere in a sleek navy suit, the British-Jamaican designer’s work has been impossible to miss.
Now, Rose has returned to her roots with a Spring-Summer 2026 showcase in an unconventional London venue—a former 1950s job center, once frequented by the unemployed and even punk legends The Clash. The space, filled with indie designers, vintage vendors, and artists, reflected the raw, eclectic energy that defines her brand.
A Love Letter to London
For Rose, 44, the show was a tribute to the city’s cultural melting pot. “I hope people feel that boost of possibilities,” she told CNN ahead of the event. The collection itself was a study in contrasts—puffa jackets stretched to absurd proportions, tailored suits paired with lace-trimmed boxer shorts, and football socks styled with square-toed loafers. It was chaotic, intentional, and quintessentially Martine Rose.
Among the attendees were fashion heavyweights like Craig Green and Simone Rocha, alongside rapper A$AP Nast and DJ Benji B. “London is my home,” Rose said. “There are so many stories here, past and present.”
From Underground to the Super Bowl
Rose’s journey from a small London label in 2007 to dressing A-listers like Drake, Rihanna, and Dua Lipa has been anything but conventional. But her most notable collaboration has been with Kendrick Lamar. After he wore her designs during his 2022 tour, their creative partnership deepened—culminating in his show-stopping Super Bowl performance, where his “Gloria”-emblazoned jacket reached over 133 million viewers.
“When he asked us to work on the Super Bowl, I totally underestimated it,” Rose admitted with a laugh. “But it’s about the journey, not just the destination.”
Similarly, Timothée Chalamet’s e-bike red carpet moment in her suit captured her brand’s playful irreverence. “I loved the humor in it,” she said. “It’s about dissolving the scripted nature of fashion.”
An Unconventional Force in Fashion
Rose’s rise hasn’t followed the typical luxury fashion trajectory. After consulting for Balenciaga’s menswear from 2015-2018, she chose independence over major design house offers—including rumored roles at Louis Vuitton and Balenciaga.
“I enjoy forging my own path,” she said. “I never want to just push out ‘greatest hits. ’ I want to make clothes that make me feel something.”
And whether audiences love or hate her work, Rose is unbothered. “You either get it or you don’t,” she said. “And that’s okay—we’re not for everyone.”
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