Since taking over as creative director of Diesel last year, Glenn Martens has effectively refocused the brand on its basic ideals, restoring the cool element that was once associated with the denim specialist.
No exception was made for Diesel’s pre-fall collection, which saw the Belgian designer continue to inject lively energy into an array of looks that embraced the sexual, unusual, and bold approach on fashion that the brand is known for.
All while playing with asymmetric silhouettes and mixing shrunken proportions with large volumes, all while paying homage to the brand itself and the aesthetics of the early Aughts period.
Taking the most direct form, the back-to-the-roots approach was represented by a pair of low-waisted jeans and a denim miniskirt, which were both worn with a body-hugging knit and a reversible puffer jacket, all of which were rendered in fiery red and spelled out the Diesel brand loud and clear.
Martens’ experimental attitude and mastery of silhouette manipulation elevated the collection, as seen in quilted denim pieces with pink camouflage inserts; versatile jeans that can be transformed from straight to flared via double zippers on the sides; and extra-feminine asymmetric skirts and draped dresses in jersey that were punctuated by the metallic D logo first introduced in the 1980s.
Martens included upcycled items in the spring 2022 collection, further demonstrating the brand’s commitment to sustainability. For example, a silver Canadian tuxedo was coated with layers of deadstock material to create a peeling, distressed effect, and a silver Canadian suit was coated with layers of deadstock material to create a peeling, distressed effect. Additionally, pieces from the Diesel Library line, which represents the pinnacle of the company’s ecological effort committed to denim manufacture, were incorporated into the collection.
It is cleverly broadening the scope of its “only courageous” motto in the process of rediscovering and exalting its true essence, demonstrating that changing its processes for the good of the world also requires a significant level of bravery on the part of the brand.
