Do you remember Diesel's most iconic slogan, "For Successful Living"? Forget it as the brand's new motto is "For Sucsexful Living", as explained by Glenn Martens, creative director of Diesel. “Sex positivity is something amazing. We like to play at Diesel, and we are serious about it. Have fun, respect each other, be safe. For Sucsexful Living!” he said at the eve of the latest f/w 2023/2024 fashion show held during the opening of Milan Fashion Week.
The Italian jeans brand has chosen to play with freedom, pleasure and experimentation as it identifies itself with democracy, choice and sex positivity.
As for this season’s runway, models walked around a mountain of 200,000 Durex condom boxes, implicitly announcing that Diesel and the condom brand have signed an agreement, the first one for Durex.
As part of the agreement, by April this year, Diesel will give away 300,000 more condoms at its mono brand stores. Along with that, it will launch a capsule collection, including a jersey T-shirt that swaps the D of Durex with the D of Diesel, as seen during the show.
The new Diesel f/w 2023/2024 collection has pushed further on experimentation, unique fabric development and finishing innovation while playing with silhouettes and new material applications. Denim tops are molded, and leather biker jackets are distressed to reveal a metal logo. Pinstripe skirt suits have strong shouldered attitude and are whiskered just as fiercely as denim.
Diesel features in-house developed, devoré denim that provides the effect of distressed jeans yet showing the skin beneath. The body is revealed on pieces from oversized shirts and jeans to denim knits, skirts and dresses, with some dresses embellished with crystals.
The laser-cutting appears on utility hoodies, sweatpants and dresses, which become even more distressed over time. Double-layer jersey pieces are cut to reveal the color beneath, and a jersey long hooded coat has been treated to look like cracked leather.
Print tops and shorts are cracked open to reveal creases and prints beneath, and pop prints are created from hyperreal close-ups of faces, especially of smiles with too many teeth that beam out from zip-up jackets, tops and skirts.
Upcycling continues to play a key role for the brand as it features artisanal pieces obtained from the upcycling of existing materials, like biker denims that have been metalized, or a shearling jacket that’s been bonded with denim then distressed, revealing the shearling once more.
Leftover nylons from old linings are covered with plastic then heated up, creating an effect like strange fur. Dead stock faux fur is painted, then also covered in plastic and heated, creating an effect like liquid fur. Technical biker jackets are blow-torched, creating their own extreme architecture.
More novelties are revealed by accessories too. Slip-on heels are draped in diamanté and denim boots carry utilitarian pockets. A new sneaker – the Prototype 3 – is debuting and features its oversized sole growing upwards.
The D-Charm is a new bag, quilted in padded denim with a charm chain, and the 1DR comes in the pop face print. Along with that, the new Diesel Eyewear collection, developed in collaboration with Essilor Luxottica, introduces a new frame, featuring the lenses floating on the wire temples.
