There’s a version of Diesel that lives in the cultural memory as a relic of Y2K excess with low-rise denim, glitter graphics, etc. But under creative director Glenn Martens, who took the helm in 2020, the brand has been quietly engineering one of fashion’s more compelling second acts. Lately, the moves have been coming fast.
This past May, Diesel partnered with Tinder on a capsule collection called For Successful Loving, a riff on Diesel’s long-running “For Successful Living” manifesto that swaps ambition for intimacy. The 17-piece collection spans ready-to-wear, denim, underwear, and accessories, all co-branded with a jacquard tag bearing both logos and the new slogan. The pieces lean into Diesel’s signature sensuality: burnout devoré treatments, trompe l’oeil lace lingerie detailing, and enough transparency to make a point.
What sets this apart from the typical Pride capsule-and-call-it-advocacy approach is the campaign. Shot in lo-fi VHS style and fronted by drag artist and designer Gigi Goode, it takes a documentary format. Candid interviews with LGBTQIA+ community members talking about love, identity, and relationships without a polished script in sight. The effect is less fashion editorial, more real conversation; both brands also backed the project with substance: a combined $200,000 donation to Outright International, supporting LGBTQIA+ employment and economic inclusion across Colombia, South Africa, Ukraine, and the Philippines. Diesel doesn’t currently have any behind-the-scenes style content for their campaigns, so I think that starting this and interviewing the models for this collection really helps create some great brand connections for not only Diesel, but Tinder as well.
The brand’s collaboration with Brazilian footwear brand Melissa, now in its second chapter, is a genuinely interesting exercise in what sustainable fashion can look like when it doesn’t sacrifice the fun. The partnership leans into a shared commitment to circularity: Melissa manufactures its shoes from Melflex, a vegan, fully recyclable plastic material the brand developed exclusively, while Diesel has long worked with recycled denim. Together, they’ve produced something that looks less like an eco-initiative and more like footwear from another dimension.
The collection centers on three silhouettes: the Quantum Thong, Quantum Platform, and Quantum Sneaker X. These are all built around a reimagining of Diesel’s “D” monogram rendered through the lens of optical art and parametric geometry. Available in translucent colorways ranging from light pink to transparent green, the pieces are visually striking in a way that makes the sustainability story almost secondary. The second drop, released just this month, adds a Quantum Dome Bag to the mix, a natural extension of the collection’s architectural logic. As Martens put it: “If the shoes already looked like they came from the future, the bag needed to come with them.”
Perhaps the most culturally loaded move in Diesel’s recent run is the launch of Only Desire, the brand’s first-ever feminine fragrance developed under Glenn Martens’ creative direction. Named Global Ambassador for the scent is Dove Cameron. Actress, pop force, and one of Gen Z’s most visible voices, with over 74 million followers and her own worldwide tour on the horizon.
The fragrance itself creates what the brand calls “Metallic Vanilla”, blending orchid and vanilla with metallic aldehydes and amber. The campaign, directed by Amber Grace Johnson and shot by Harley Weir, follows Cameron through a surreal landscape of sculptural orchids and glowing textures. Entirely female-directed, which feels intentional for a scent built around the manifesto My Desire. My Power.
Diesel isn’t just having a hot streak, it’s building something more coherent: a brand that can hold a Pride collection, a sustainability collab, and a fragrance launch in the same season without any of it feeling accidental. This is such an important time for a brand to lean so heavily into supporting the LGBTQIA+ community as well as continuing to stick to their sustainability ideals, especially when other brands are starting to pull back on DEI and sustainability initiatives when there are not many short term incentives for them. Diesel going against the grain and being very loud and proud about their stance on the queer community and sustainable fashion is such a great idea for the brand to stand out from their competition and still stick true to the brand’s rebellious origins. Whether that consistency holds is worth watching. For now, the momentum is real.