Y/Project, Paris's cult avant-garde label, shut down after losing both founders

Y/Project was founded in Paris in 2010 by Yohan Serfaty and Gilles Elalouf. After Serfaty's death from cancer in 2013, Elalouf appointed Glenn Martens — Serfaty's former assistant — as creative director. Under Martens, the brand became one of Paris's most influential avant-garde labels, known for twisted denim, exaggerated proportions, and gender-fluid construction. It developed a cult following and a place in the Paris Fashion Week calendar.

In July 2024, co-founder and owner Gilles Elalouf died. The brand lost its operational anchor. CEO Pascal Conte-Jodra left shortly afterward. In September 2024, Glenn Martens departed, and a Paris commercial court placed Y/Project into receivership. The brand was put up for sale in October 2024, but no buyer emerged. On January 9, 2025, Y/Project announced it was shutting down after 14 years.

The closure came during a broader downturn in luxury fashion. Major groups including LVMH, Kering, and Richemont had all reported earnings declines, making it an especially difficult time for an independent brand without a parent company's financial backing. Y/Project's collapse illustrated how a small, talent-driven fashion house can be undone by the loss of a single key figure.