What the garment is and where it came from
Low-riding, bell-bottomed jeans. Made by Renzo Rosso on his mother’s sewing machine in 1978. Italian-made from the start.
Rosso began stitching jeans at fifteen, wearing them himself and selling them to friends for 3,500 lire a piece. He later attended an industrial textile manufacturing high school in Padua. In 1976 he went to work for a clothing manufacturer called Moltex, owned by Adriano Goldschmied. Two years later he used a loan from his father to buy a 40% holding in the company, which changed its name to Diesel. In 1985 he bought out Goldschmied’s interest in the Diesel name for US$500,000 and became sole owner.
How it works, in terms someone would actually use
It sits low on the hips. It flares from the knee. It moves with a stiff, deliberate swing.
What it gets right
It commits to one silhouette: low-riding, bell-bottomed, unapologetically physical.
What it does not
It does not soften with wear. It does not sit high. It does not hide its construction.
What it changed
It moved luxury denim from tailoring to attitude. It made Italian-made jeans a statement of rebellion, not refinement.
Advertising was one way the brand built that attitude. In 1991 the company launched its first international marketing effort, the “Guides for Successful Living” campaign series, which won a Grand Prix at the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival in 1992. Starting in 1991, Diesel became known for ads that invoke surreal images instead of direct product details. In 1995 a campaign shot by David LaChapelle showed two sailors kissing at a staged peace celebration at the end of World War II.
The American licence is part of why the clothes stayed Italian. In 1990 Russ Togs, Inc. received the licence to market and distribute Diesel in the United States and Mexico. By 1991 Russ Togs was going out of business and sold Diesel Sportswear to Rosso. Made-in-the-USA Diesel never came to fruition, and the company put its made-in-Italy jeans and clothing in American stores instead.
Denim has stayed the most popular Diesel item, but the company has also made leather jackets and women’s dresses. Diesel Black Gold, a luxury ready-to-wear line launched in 2008 and run until 2018, added elements of tailoring to the denim expertise. In October 2020 the Belgian designer Glenn Martens was appointed artistic director.
Who it is for, and who it is not
It is for someone who wears denim as posture. It is not for someone who wants versatility, neutrality or quiet.
Is it worth your time
Yes—if you want denim that declares its origin in cut and country, not just logo.
