Diesel S.p.A.

Diesel SpA

Type	Private
Founded	Molvena, Italy (1978)
Founder	Renzo Rosso Adriano Goldschmied
Headquarters	Molvena
Key people	Renzo Rosso, owner and CEO Wilbert Das, Creative Director
Industry	Fashion
Products	Apparel and Accessories
Revenue	€1.2 billion (US$1.85 billion)
Employees	3,300 (2005)
Website	www.diesel.com

Diesel store in Krakow (2007).

Diesel S.p.A. is an Italian design company. It is best known for clothing aimed at the youth market, particularly jeans, but the brand can now be found on everything from wristwatches to perfume. The company is owned by its founder Renzo Rosso, and is based in Molvena in northern Italy.

[edit] History

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The company was founded by Renzo Rosso^[1] and his former boss Adriano Goldschmied of the AG Jeans company, in 1978. Diesel's milestone years include 1985 (Renzo's complete acquisition of the company), 1988 the hiring straight out of fashion college of current head designer and Creative Director Wilbert Das, 1991 (beginning of the international marketing strategy) and 1996 (opening of Diesel's first flagship store on New York City's Lexington Avenue). In February 2007, the company launched a major intimates and beachwear division for men and women that is carried in the retail and department stores. Diesel Black Gold was announced in November 2007.

The company has around 3,500 employees in 17 subsidiaries across Europe, Asia and the Americas. Its products are available in 5000 retail outlets, of which 300 are Diesel-branded stores.^[1] 200 of these are owned by the company, the rest are franchised.^[1] Annual sales were approximately €1.2 billion in 2005 and largely consist of denim sales, but also extremely successful and influential ranges of accessories and children's wear.

Most of Diesel's current production is outsourced to small and medium-sized companies. Production of denim jeans is based mainly in Italy.

[edit] Brands

All Diesel collections, including licensed products, are made under the Creative Direction of Wilbert Das. The principal lines are Diesel, the main line, and Diesel Black Gold, a new collection launched in 2007 in the casual-luxury segment. The children's collection is called Diesel Kid. Diesel Denim Gallery offers limited edition denim sold in innovative art-gallery-like spaces. Diesel also offers collections of footwear, intimate (underwear), and bags. Diesel's licensed collections are eyewear (made with Safilo), jewelry and watches (Fossil), and fragrances (L'Oréal). L'Oreal and Diesel launched Fuel for Life (for him and for her) in the fall of 2007. A mini-collection for Adidas was launched in 2008 called Adidas Originals Denim by Diesel. The underwear license is held by the US company Mast Industries Inc., who also make lingerie for Victoria's Secret.

[edit] Creative Direction

Diesel's Creative Director and head designer is Wilbert Das who has worked for Diesel since 1988. Wilbert started as a designer on the Male, Accessories, Leather, and Kids lines. He rose quickly to head the style office and creative areas of Diesel, and in 1993 was given the official title of Creative Director, with responsibilities ranging from directing all product design as well as all communication campaigns. From clothing & accessory design to advertising, new media, merchandising, retail & interior design (including stores, showrooms, offices, hotels), planning of fashion shows & events, as well as developing new brand extensions such as houseware, furniture and even automobiles. Literally all aspects of the Diesel brand’s style and image continue to fall under Wilbert’s responsibility.

[edit] Marketing

"Dieselwall" in Berlin

In recent years the company has driven its attention to endorsing young creativity by sponsoring the youth market, by sponsoring several projects such as the Diesel-U-Music Contest or the Diesel Wall artistic programme. Diesel has been the founding partner of International Talent Support in its various forms. Diesel has also offered sponsorship and creative contribution to the 2006 edition of Vienna'sLife Ball AIDS charity, as well as the Sundance Film Festival.

Diesel's innovative approach to marketing has let it to be perhaps the first clothing company to market their clothing in video games, and has developed innovative approaches to fashion shows.