The rave ecstasy at Diesel SS24

«This is a collection about celebrating together, having fun, living life to the fullest,» says Glenn Martens backstage at what looks more like a rave-festival than a fashion show. A gigantic stage, 8 hours of music co-hosted by @nts_radio, 7,000 guests, 6,000 tickets for the public and 1,500 for students. «Diesel for the people. Diesel for the party» reads the slogan of the event, making it a manifesto of the democratic verve that Martens has brought to the brand since its inception, as much in the design of the garments as in the urgency to convey a global message. And if last year the Allianz Club became a rave arena for the fashion show that mobilised 4800 people, this year the brand has chosen the Scalo Farini to present a new collection amidst utility wear, distressed details and a pouring rain: Diesel's key stories of denim, utility and pop are all mixed up, like the crowd at a rave. «It's about bringing people together for an analogue moment». The invitation for the fashion show heralded analogue ambitions, a disposable red camera with Diesel logo on it, like all the objects that make up Diesel's cosmogony.

At the stroke of the countdown projected in red on the maxi screen, garments appeared on the scene that were extremely coherent with the creative direction of Martens, who for this season decided to deepen with a new level of technical sophistication models and styles already suggested in previous collections. A canonical riot of denim but using innovative distressing techniques: layers of jersey sewn onto a nylon base, burnt so that the top layer comes off during the washing process. «The effect is that of a peeling, like that of the neckline of a camisole mini-dress. I like the fact that these pieces will never be the same - when you create garments in this way, you never know what will come out, everyone is different, and the wearer can continue to wear them,» Martens says, revealing a new way of living and conceiving distressed garments. Utility suits become decomposable and, once the zip is unzipped, can be worn as separate pieces, while special attention is paid to the pockets. Cargo trousers are actually simply pockets held together by straps, and the same goes for the skimpy tops, pockets with zips in a witty exploration of the Tromp d'Oeil techniques loved by the designer.

Velvety finish, floral or camouflage motifs were accompanied by an unusual pattern: vintage film posters, from Mulholland Drive to Fight Club, which will be shown during the film festival curated by Martens this weekend at the same location as the show. Tight-fitting dresses in ruched jersey or lurex featured the outer contour of underwear in contrasting colours: «underwear is everything.»  Accessories were a tribute to logo mania with round toe shoes, denier stiletto heels, belts and logoed caps. Metal necklaces and bracelets are designed like barbed wire or biker tattoos, while the eyewear, in collaboration with Essilor Luxottica, is inspired by 90s movie stars. Of one thing we are certain: Diesel's aesthetic and lifestyle imagery is increasingly global, and everyone wants to be part of it.