We're starting a new column: every Friday, a short recap of what happened in fashion that week. No gossip, just the news that actually changes the picture.
A woman will lead Balenciaga for the first time
On 6 November, Kering named British designer Martine Rose creative director of Balenciaga. She is the first woman in the role in the house's 109-year history. She starts on 16 November in Paris.
Rose succeeds Pierpaolo Piccioli, whose exit was announced a day earlier after less than two years at the house. She is best known for her own menswear label and already knows Balenciaga well: she consulted on its menswear under Demna. According to Reuters, she plans to draw on 1990s rave culture and modern street style to attract a new generation of shoppers.
It's the first major appointment by Kering's new CEO Luca de Meo, and the reshuffle isn't over. Saint Laurent has had no creative director since Anthony Vaccarello left in October, and Seán McGirr is stepping down at Alexander McQueen.
The 2027 Met Gala has a new theme
On 5 November, the Metropolitan Museum of Art announced the theme of the Costume Institute's spring exhibition: extraORDINARY: Fashion and the Poetics of the Everyday. It looks at how designers rework familiar clothes and everyday objects and find something unexpected in them.
The gala takes place on 3 May 2027, and the exhibition runs from 9 May 2027 to 9 January 2028. The slot was originally meant for a John Galliano retrospective, which was cancelled after a wave of criticism over his past antisemitic and racist remarks.
Marimekko and Veja release sneakers
A limited collection from Finland's Marimekko and France's Veja went on sale on 12 November. It has two models: the Salar for adults and the Small Canary for kids. Both are covered in the floral Popkorni print, which Finnish artist Antti Kekki designed for Marimekko in 2024.
What else
- Yohji Yamamoto will receive the Outstanding Achievement Award at The Fashion Awards on 30 November at London's Royal Albert Hall.
- Olivier Rousteing presents his first pre-fall collection for Rabanne in November. It's the first hint of where he'll take the house, with a full runway show planned for March 2027.
Coming next week
- 16 November: Martine Rose officially starts at Balenciaga.
- 19 November: the second Uniqlo and Cecilie Bahnsen collaboration for fall and winter drops, with fluffy fleece and soft knits. It will be sold worldwide on the Uniqlo website and at select stores.
What do you think?
Which story of the week matters most to you? Tell us in the comments, and see you next Friday.
Based on Kering, Reuters, The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Marimekko, FashionUnited and Hypebae, November 2026.
