Parisian fashion brand Y/Project led by Belgian designer Glenn Martens, known for its elaborate denim and contemporary silhouettes, has officially closed its doors after 14 years of activity.
“It is with great gratitude and sadness that the Y/Project team announces that we will officially be closing the brand,” the company said in an Instagram post.
Recently creative director Glenn Martens and CEO Pascal Conte-Jodra both left the brand as it struggled to find a buyer.
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Among the various economic difficulties, the brand was then forced to cancel the September fashion show. Furthermore, following the death of owner Gilles Elalouf last June, the brand was placed into receivership by a Parisian commercial court since September.
Y/Project was co-founded by Elalouf and designer Yohan Serfaty, who hired Martens at his studio before dying of cancer in 2013.
Following Serfaty’s untimely death in 2013, Martens took over as creative director helping to consolidate the brand as one of Paris’ hottest emerging brands.
Under Martens’ creative guidance, the brand has received several accolades from industry critics, was awarded the ANDAM Grand Prize in 2017 and 2020, and even became one of the finalist brands for the LVMH Prize for Young Designers in 2016.
Y/Project has gained global notoriety by dressing famous personalities, including Rihanna and Charli XCX.
The news of the closure comes after a difficult year for the brand, which despite its stylistic vivacity, remained financially fragile.
Local fans turned out in large numbers for recent sales in Paris as the brand worked through excess inventory before shutting down its e-commerce site and permanently ceasing operations this week.
“Y/Project and the team thank all partners and supporters for their unwavering dedication to the brand throughout the years. Special thanks to Glenn Martens, Pascal Conte-Jodra, and the late Gilles Elalouf for giving their team the space to create and grow.” The company added in another statement expressing gratitude to all their partners and supporters.
Many of the brand’s archive looks will be donated to the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the MoMu fashion museum in Antwerp, the Palais Galliera, the fashion museum in Paris and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in the French capital in honor of the co -founder Gilles Elalouf.
