A plethora of Y2K-era brands experienced a healthy uptick in popularity in the last few years — the return of Juicy Couture’s tracksuits back in 2020 and how Von Dutch jeans and trucker hats had a moment with celebrities in 2021. The latest fashion name to experience a major revival is Diesel. The brand, known for its statement denim pieces, rapidly returned to the industry discourse this year by tapping into the pop culture zeitgeist while gaining street style creds with both Gen Z influencers and Hollywood’s top stars. You might recall Julia Fox’s epic second date with Ye, where she leveraged the paparazzi moment to highlight her outfit. All the clothes featured in those photographs came from Diesel’s Spring/Summer 2022 line. Coincidence? Probably not.
According to Lyst — a fashion technology company and premium shopping app — and its Index report, the study revealed that of the top 20 hottest brands for the second quarter of 2022, Diesel ranked number 9. This conclusion was drawn from research compiled from product search and social media engagement data around the brand. Just take a look at your Instagram feed, where you’ll notice Diesel’s handbags, leather jackets, and denim have made their way into the wardrobes of trendsetters like Dua Lipa, Kylie Jenner, Miley Cyrus, Whitney Peak, and Rosalía.
There is one Diesel item, in particular, that seems to be speaking to every It person: the 1DR shoulder bag. Diesel’s Creative Director Glenn Martens attributes the accessory’s popularity to how aptly it encapsulates the label’s core DNA.
“When you see the 1DR bag, you really understand Diesel — straightforward, sexy, confident, irreverent, easy, and fun, but also genderless and versatile,” Martens tells TZR. “And it’s not too serious, which is why I think people are obsessed with the brand all over again.”
The futuristic, slinky handbag represents a change that took place at Diesel in the last few years. Since Martens took helm of the label in October 2020, he injected a healthy dose of his avant-garde design codes into Diesel. (Think experimental, sometimes off-beat, but always undeniably chic takes on classics like knitwear and denim.) According to vintage and resale experts, the uptick in interest for Diesel pieces was likely a result of Martens’ prowess in reenergizing the heritage label, which was founded in 1978 in Italy, for the modern era.
“Credit should be given where it’s due — and in this case, that should be to Glenn Martens and the team for doing a fantastic job of reviving the Diesel legacy back into cult status,” Dylan Schulman, creative producer at Thrilling, tells TZR. “By playing on the craze for nostalgia, specifically that of the early aughts, Diesel has tapped into a sweet spot of the current desire for something that feels both old and new all at once.”
Y2K vibes aside, the label’s sustainability efforts, too, contribute to its success with a new generation of fashion consumers. “Diesel’s recent incorporation of upcycled designs, as well as initiatives such as its secondhand denim buyback program, only help to solidify its relevance, [considering] the collective desire for more conscious consumption,” Schulman explains.
Before you reach for your wallet to scoop up the 1DR shoulder bag or a cool moto jacket from Diesel, check out how your favorite celebrities have styled their pieces below. Once you’ve familiarize yourself with their outfits, shop a few of the brand’s coveted items, too. You’ll want to keep an eye out for Martens next move as well, as Diesel continues to ascend the ranks as a competitive player in the fashion space.
Rihanna
Rihanna gave Diesel her stamp of approval at Paris Fashion Week. She arrived at Off-White’s Fall/Winter 2022 show clad in a luxurious, floor-length shearling coat from the brand, which had made its debut on the runway just five days earlier. Underneath, she wore a leather mini dress from Off-White and finished the look with an ostrich Dior Saddle bag and layered chain necklaces.
Dua Lipa
Of all the celebrities, Lipa has demonstrated the strongest penchant for Diesel. Judging from the singer’s street style and Instagram snaps, her closet is teeming with clothing, shoes, and accessories from the nostalgic Italian label. One of her most notable Diesel looks was an all-denim outfit, which consisted of a bustier top and baggy jean boots that had a graphic red diamond pattern etched all over the fabric. To complete the look, the singer toted a matching denim shoulder bag, also from Diesel, and added a frayed belt that had the label’s name spelled out in rhinestones.
Kylie Jenner
While vacationing with her friends, Jenner wore a metallic blue two-piece set from the label’s Fall/Winter 2022 collection. (The A-lister dedicated an entire carousel of images to the futuristic, head-to-toe Diesel ensemble.) Her outfit included a long-sleeve ribbed top with a mock neck and a cutout Diesel emblem on the chest, plus a curve-hugging miniskirt that had the same logo embroidered on the front, left hand side. To complete the logo-heavy trifecta, Jenner accessorized with the label’s 1DR bag in a metallic blue hue.
Megan Thee Stallion
Stallion’s fresh-off-the-runway Diesel outfit bore a close resemblance to Jenner’s. She wore a form-fitting mini dress that was crafted from the same ribbed material as Jenner’s look, albeit in a metallic pink colorway, and the dress was adorned with the same oval D logo on the chest. The rapper styled her ensemble with a metallic pink 1DR shoulder bag.
Julia Fox
All the evidence thus far suggests that Fox was the first celebrity to sport Diesel’s 1DR bag before it took the fashion world by storm. The Uncut Gems actor attended the label’s Fall/Winter 2022 show in Milan, outfitted in a glossy, canary-yellow trucker jacket and matching pant-boot hybrid bottoms. Underneath the outerwear, she wore a black bandeau top for a bare midriff moment and finished the look with the aforementioned handbag, which matched her outfit perfectly.
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