DIESEL and its creative director Glenn Martens proudly reveal their Spring/Summer 2022 collection. This season represents a milestone for the company: it is Martens’ first full collection for the brand. The Spring/Summer 2022 collection was presented through a short film on June 21, 2021, live-streaming from Milan.
The short film—made in collaboration with the artist and director Frank Lebon, and soundtracked by the British musician Leon Vynehall—lenses 4 sections of DIESEL’s evolved, brave new world as seen through Martens’ creative prism.
The film blurs the lines between reality and a dream. We follow the main character moving through a familiar yet slightly askew environment. It begins in a home setting, suggestive of a late night scene. From there, a shot of an urban street takes form, recalling daily—and sometimes frenetic—city living. Next, an elevator ride, which captures a kind of tailored take on both DIESEL’s heritage and Martens’ aesthetic. The film concludes in a trippy, alien room that’s bathed in a deep red filter; we’re not quite sure if it’s meant to be dreamt or actual, or somewhere in between.
Throughout this storyline, Martens’ focuses of denim, womenswear, menswear and experimentalism are all portrayed. Together, they become something new, galvanizing, unusual and entirely individual. Martens’ concept is a contemporary interpretation of DIESEL’s bold and ironic history. Notable overarching points include an all-gender approach, a heritage component and the newly introduced DIESEL LIBRARY.
Key collection highlights include an interwoven belt accent, which holds together t-shirts tops and dresses. Looping through cutouts in the garments, these belts function as a kind of backbone, anchoring each item in an inventive new drape and form. 5-pocket denim trousers with integrated boots are also a standout: these pants are either high-waisted or of a medium rise, and feature various denim washes. They flow into sewn-in cowboy boots or pointed-toe booties. The heritage—and often upcycled—chapter holds reused deadstock DIESEL denim, including an artisanal lattice-detailed, smocked, and floor-grazing topcoat. Additional upcycled jersey pieces are cut-and-sewn—and dyed—to create new jumpers and bombers.
DIESEL’s heritage has been reinterpreted on blazers, shirts and denim trousers that depict a laser-print forming a trompe l’oeil effect of layers and seaming. There are also second-skin jersey pieces that are all-over printed with heritage denim washes and archival DIESEL patches. Lastly, a series of denim pieces with embossed DIESEL logos adds to the sculptural side of Martens’ output. As the transition morphs into the more experimental and cerebral, printed and smoked organza pieces—all with cracked paint motifs—become marquee looks.
Denim was, is, and always will be DIESEL’s core engine - it comprises the majorities of the company’s revenues. Spring/Summer 2022 sees the introduction of DIESEL LIBRARY, a sustainable made-to-stay collection component that holds genderless jeans, shirts, top, skirts, shorts, and more. DIESEL LIBRARY will act as a fundamental baseline for each seasonal collection, and it will remain permanent. It reflects the company’s new sustainability-forward mantra, providing clothing types and items that may be bought less often—and worn longer. All of these items have a permanent shelf life. This launch marks a major step in Martens’ evolution of DIESEL, continuing its position as a power player in defining the culture—and no fabric is more culturally relevant than denim.
Overall, the result reflects a bold and deeply considered hybridizing of DIESEL’s trailblazing history and Martens’ high-concept approach to fashion design. For the former, it’s about diversifying and evolving its product array as we enter the early 2020’s under a new world paradigm, and for the latter, it’s about creating garments with a democratic, global pragmatism. The result firmly carves out the next chapter in DIESEL’s evolution, balancing popular appeal, clever design and, most of all, an uncompromising vision.
The short film’s credits include: Frank Lebon, Director; Christopher Simmonds, Art Director; Larissa Hoffman, Photographer; Jabez Bartlett, Set Designer; Ursina Gysi, Stylist; Cyndia Harvey, Hair; professional haircare by Wella; Inge Grognard, Makeup; Midland Agency, Casting; Leon Vynehall, Music Director, starring; Ella Snyder.
A selection of key looks will be available in avant-première starting from September 2021 in key selected stores and on diesel.com.
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