Denim, Tweed, and Graffiti: Diesel Parties With Deconstruction

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Glenn Martens is a designer who creates contrasts. He reimagines clothing designs, fostering a sense of camaraderie. In his world, fashion industry experts join together for the traditional runway event, while design students and local artists are welcomed and encouraged to contribute. Instead of tweed reminding us of times gone by, he brings it into today with quirky smiles and unrefined trimmings that playfully trick the eye.

The Fall/Winter 2025 Diesel collection showcased the unique blend of styles by Martens, with denim being treated in various unconventional ways – laminated, lacquered, and torn. Houndstooth patterns appeared woven, layered, and frayed, resembling remnants from a high-society event’s aftermath. Shirts made of paper mache-like material and bumsters barely hung onto models, while leather jackets were permanently wrinkled with wire edges, defying any effort to adhere to the formal dress code. Accessories like alien contact lenses and bug-eyed sunglasses added an element of otherworldliness that playfully mocked the collection’s traditional materials.

Fans of diesel may have spotted a towering figure they recognized on the catwalk too. Originally created by Studio Dennis Vanderbroeck for Diesel’s Spring/Summer 2023 runway and known as the record-breaking inflatable doll, “The Diesel Democracy,” was reimagined with a bold new graphic look this time around.

In an informal chat offstage, Glenn Martens shared that he utilized the creative energy of over 7,800 graffiti artists worldwide, discovered through an open invitation, to metamorphose a sculpture into this season’s communal art project. Known as the Global Street Art Collective, these young artists from various nations such as India, Italy, South Africa, China, Japan, the United States, UAE, and Saudi Arabia were given complete artistic liberty to paint approximately 3.2 kilometers of fabric with their vibrant work.

Glenn Martens has challenged and redefined industry norms just as he’s reinvented conventional applications of fabric. This pioneering spirit is reflected in his Diesel collections, where community plays a central role. Not only have shows been opened to thousands of people, but priority has often been given to design students. To break down even more barriers, the brand live-streamed its FW24 collection creation process for four days leading up to the show, allowing fans worldwide to watch from their computers. This virtual attendance transformed the physical set’s walls into a digital canvas.

In both his work with Diesel and Y/Project, Marten consistently emphasizes wear and collaborative design, sparking excitement for his forthcoming debut at Maison Margiela.

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2025-02-26 19:55