Diesel – The creation of jeans & the revolution of sustainability

Diesel – The brand directly associated with jeans pants. They are probably the creators of jeans and yet offer so much more. You could call them revolutionaries of sustainability, because they are against mass production and started a step forward in the fashion industry with their campaign “UP – CYCLING”. The founder Renzo Rosso founded the brand at the age of 23 and made it a leader in the 80s. It was the beginning of long-lasting success that led to an expansion of the assortment and shops. Today the brand sells clothing for men and women, fragrances, watches, shoes and accessories.

Overview hide
Birth of the DIESEL brand – Renzo Rosso
Jeans – Revolution through denim
Upcycling – sustainable fashion
Perfume – DIESEL Only the Brave
Watches – DIESEL on Smartwatch
Q&A: Diesel

Birth of the DIESEL brand – Renzo Rosso

Renzo Rosso was born in 1955 in a small province in Italy. At the age of 23 the Italian fashion entrepreneur founded his brand “Diesel”.

With his father’s financial support he bought 40% of the textile company Moltex, which belonged to the Italian entrepreneur Adriano Goldsmith. He renamed it Diesel and in the same year launched his men’s collection with a focus on denim or jeans. The inspiration for the name came from the fuel of the modern world “Diesel” and the international same pronunciation. Goldsmith was paid $500,000 in 1985 when the yearly turnover was more than $5 million. It was not until ten years later in 1989 that women’s fashion was added, in which year the brand had a yearly turnover of 130 million US dollars.

The most famous collections in the 80s to 90s were the Saddle model. Unlike in the 70s, the trend came with tight foot hems.
And in 1994 the youthful 55DSL collection, which was a bestseller until its liquidation in 2015.

The brand has become known above all for its provocative, ironic communication: over the years, the Diesel campaigns have not only shocked, amused and amazed, but have also been rewarded with prizes. In 1991, the long-standing For-successful-living campaign was launched. In 1995 the “Kissing Sailors” advertising motif showed the kiss of two men.

Rosso also founded the company OTB – Only the Brave, which in addition to Diesel also includes Maison Margiela (since 2002), Viktor & Rolf (since 2008), Brave Kid (children’s fashion manufacturer, since 2011), Marni (since 2012) and Staff International. OTB has contributed almost 1.6 billion euros, 70% of which was generated by the Diesel brand.

Jeans – Revolution through denim

Timeless, sexy and comfortable – that is the promise. The trousers should fit to everything, so there are different materials, colours and patterns. The most popular trousers are a body-hugging jeans in a simple design consisting of 98% cotton. A striking design made of stretch denim in light blue vintage wash with typical Diesel accents, which are applied to the fabric in an innovative process. Lasered destroyed details, abrasions and wrinkles together with an eco-resin coating create a classically cool look, to which a light dirt effect finish adds the finishing touch.

For both men and women, you can choose from the following patterns:

  • Skinny
  • Slim
  • Straight
  • Tapered
  • Carrot
  • Bootcut
  • Boyfriend (for women only)
  • Wide (for women only)

Once again, sustainability is taken into account, as each pair is treated with a minimum amount of chemicals and water consumption is reduced by up to 40% compared to conventional methods. Furthermore, all new denim is designed and manufactured in Italy.

“EARTH DAY, NOT JUST TODAY, EVERYDAY.”

Upcycling – sustainable fashion

The son of Diesel founder Renzo Rosso, of all people, is the Sustainability Ambassador and Upcycling Artistic Director. With his Upcycling project “Diesel Upcycling For 55DSL” Andrea Rosso not only made his father proud, but was also presented at the Men’s Fashion Week 2020.

“In addition to the sustainable principles of the collection, transparency is also an important theme. Each garment of “Diesel Upcycling For 55DSL” is provided with a QR code that can be scanned and takes the owner to a website where the production of the garment can be tracked. “We document the manufacturing process from A to Z. We take a photo of each step, and these can be viewed on the wash list using a QR code. The packaging is also 50 percent organic and recycled.”

What exactly is upcycling ?

Upcycling is a process of creative reuse, the conversion of existing products, waste materials and old materials into new products. This reduces the consumption of raw materials and decreases energy consumption, air and water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

Perfume – DIESEL Only the Brave

Diesel Only the Brave is not only one of the classics of fragrances, but is a real women’s magnet. You are looking for a strong fragrance that sends out a confident signal. Then this perfume is just the right thing for you. Numerous components were carefully created by the three fragrance designers Massenet, Pierre Wargnye and Olivier Polge. The secret of Diesel Only The Brave is its oriental, woody notes. The top note of the fragrance is initially composed of fruity mandarin and lemon.

Spicy coriander, violet and cedar, as well as leather, amber and benzoin form the base notes of this fragrance. A clenched blue fist with brass knuckles with the silver Diesel lettering decorates the bottle. The symbol of this creation is strength and masculinity. A fragrance that, as the name suggests, was created for the brave.

Watches – DIESEL on Smartwatch

“Once you go tech, you never go back.” is the motto of the popular Diesel Smartwatch campaign. Humor and irony are definitely the strong points of the commercials.

In the video clip series you can see how far the love between the Smartwatch Diesel On and the model goes, so much so that he refuses any calls from friends and partner because he is so fascinated by his watch. He turns on the light with the Google Home function, pays contactlessly at the bar, turns on his favourite music and can’t get his eyes off the watch. The whole world around him disappears and he goes through and with the watch into his own world.

For just under 369 euros, you can get the Smartwatch with many different functions. In addition to its high-quality materials and design, it has groundbreaking functions, a long battery life and the ability to measure your heart rate. Further functions and features are:

  • 48 mm axial Smartwatch
  • Striking black nylon bracelet with printed logo
  • Stainless steel housing
  • Pioneering functions of Wear OS by Google
  • Battery life: Several days of operation in energy-saving mode
  • Fitness functions: Heart rate measurement and activity recording, built-in GPS for distance measurement, waterproof design
  • Compatible with iPhone and Android mobile phones

Q&A: Diesel

A top brand when it comes to jeans trousers, but what else does Diesel have to offer. Here are the most frequently asked questions regarding the brand and the founder:

How long has the Diesel fashion brand been around?

The first Diesel flagship stores opened in 1996 in the fashion capitals of New York, Rome and London.

Who founded the brand?

Renzo Rosso is the man behind the Diesel brand.

When was the brand founded?

When Renzo Rosso set up his own business in 1978, he also founded the Diesel jeans brand in the same year.

Who is the founder?

Renzo Rosso was born in 1955 in Brugine, northern Italy. From 1971 he attended the textile technical school in Padua.

How much is the brand worth?

Diesel is one of the ten largest brands in the jeans industry. The acquired assets are estimated by Forbes at 3 billion dollars.

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