Martine Rose (born November 24, 1980) is a British-Jamaican menswear designer and founder of the Martine Rose label. Her designs draw inspiration from her experiences and interest in rave, hip-hop and punk subcultures.

Early life and education

Rose was born in Croydon, South London in 1980; her family is British and Jamaican.^[1] Rose's mother was a nurse and her father was an accountant so she spent much of her time in Tooting with her grandmother and her cousins.^[2] After a year at Camberwell College of Arts she enrolled at Middlesex University and graduated in 2002 with a degree in fashion design.^[3]

Career

Rose first started a label LMNOP with now-stylist Tamara Rothstein, a friend and frequent collaborator.^[4] The line folded in 2005. In 2007 she established her eponymous label focused on menswear.^[5]

Since its inception, Rose has been known for showing her collections in non-traditional spaces, including a street market, a community climbing gym, and a cul-de-sac in Camden, London .^[6] She has been known to disregard fashion's seasonal calendar and expectations, sometimes because of financial constraints.^[7] Some of her collections have been released via short films,^[8] digital lookbooks, and Craigslist.

In 2011 she was supported by new talent showcase Fashion East during London Fashion Week. She also collaborated with workwear boots manufacturer CAT on a limited line of boots.^[9]

In 2015, when fashion designer Demna Gvesalia joined Balenciaga as creative director, he hired Rose as a consultant, elevating her profile in the fashion industry.^[10]

In 2018 Rose released a collaboration with Nike. The release included Rose's take on the tracksuit and Nike's Monarch model. She was inspired by English and American sports culture.^[11] The collection was released on Craigslist in London and later sold at retailers.^[12]

Her AW20 show took place at Torriano Primary School, her daughter's primary school in Kentish Town.^[13]

Design

As a designer, Rose counts her upbringing around her older British-Jamaican cousins who were into raves, reggae, Lovers rock, punk, and dance music as formative.^[14] Rose has been influenced by her own experiences at 90s London raves and her awareness of different subcultures in the city coming together around music.^[15] Overall, she considers her Jamaican upbringing as a major influence in her attitude towards fashion design and style.^[16]

Rose's label developed a cult following, with her designs featuring exaggerated proportions quickly becoming characteristic of her collections earlier on in her career. While considered a menswear designer, Rose designs her pieces with a broad spectrum of people in mind.^[17] Her interest in nightlife and music scenes has led her to use fabrics in menswear that are typically more common in womenswear, like fur, satin and lurex.^[18]

References