Visitors arriving to Diesel’s Milan Style Week present on Wednesday might need been stunned by the set: a large mountain of condoms. The Italian model unveiled its Fall-Winter 2023 assortment in opposition to a backdrop of over 200,000 Durex containers, nodding to each intercourse positivity and a forthcoming collaboration with the contraceptive firm.
“We prefer to play at Diesel, and we’re critical about it,” artistic director Glenn Martens stated in a press release. “Have enjoyable, respect one another, be protected.”
Certainly, the whole assortment explored themes of freedom, pleasure and experimentation, with fashions strutting across the condom avalanche in ultra-low-rise denims, denim clothes with sheer meshed lace panels and ripped silk attire held collectively by precarious-looking chains. The accompanying techno soundtrack was interspersed with the sound of specific moans, reinforcing the message that Martens is out to push boundaries.
A mannequin sporting a silk costume with draped chains on the runway. Credit score: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Photos
Since turning into artistic director in October 2020, the Belgian designer has steered Diesel — lengthy identified for its provocative advertising and marketing and luxe denims aesthetic — in direction of extra experimental makes use of of denim. He has additionally been enjoying with upcycling. This assortment alone featured leftover nylon that was coated with one other form of plastic and heated, deadstock fake fur painted to look virtually like liquid and biker jackets that have been blow-torched and reworked into structural items.
A glance from Diesel’s Fall-Winter 2023 assortment. Credit score: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Photos
And, after all, he has made Diesel’s set design one thing of a speaking level throughout trend week.
In February 2022, at Martens’ post-pandemic runway return, the label greeted attendees with 5 inflatables hanging a collection of cheeky poses described by Diesel as “assured, exuberant and proud.” Every was modeled on an actual particular person and ranged from round 25 toes to 55 toes large. Invites for the present included an edible thong product of purple and white sweet.
Then, for its Spring-Summer time 2023 presentation final September, Diesel erected an infinite inflatable that earned a Guinness World File for the world’s largest ever blow-up sculpture. (The label additionally invited the general public to attend the present, breaking with trend week’s unique norms to host a whopping 5,000 individuals.)
Fashions stroll move the ‘mountain’ of vivid purple condom containers. Credit score: Victor Virgile/Gamma-Rapho/Getty Photos
The condom “mountain,” as Diesel described it, made for yet one more viral second beneath Martens’ course — a transfer that promotes each the label’s new assortment and protected intercourse. In step with the theme, invites have been despatched within the type of Durex packs, whereas a post-runway press launch introduced that Diesel might be distributing an extra 300,000 condoms throughout its shops worldwide in April. One jersey T-shirt seen on Wednesday’s runway additionally hinted at what’s to come back, with the traditional Diesel “D” brand swapped for Durex’s “D”.
Prime picture caption: The Diesel presentation’s set.
