Glenn Martens

Images of the world taken from space were merged in a print introduced in Diesel’s pre-fall 2023 collection, offering a visual reminder of the global Diesel-ization mission Glenn Martens started upon his arrival at the brand two years ago.

Offering a new take on camouflage, the pattern added to the universal appeal of denim and evoked the company’s goal of blending geographies and welcoming everyone to the brand, one embedded in Diesel DNA’s that has been successfully dusted off and revamped by Martens.

Asked about the formula that enabled him to put Diesel back on the fashion map so quickly — but in a category all its own since Martens constantly says the brand is an alternative to luxury players — the designer pointed to its straightforward attitude, “not taking yourself too seriously, having fun, being honest. No bulls–t. I think people need that.”

It’s a recipe even clearer in pre-collections, where Martens takes a more straightforward approach compared to his over-the-top fashion shows as he further widens the brand’s scope to appeal to a larger audience while still hammering on Diesel’s key codes of all-things-denim, pop inflections and utilitarian vibes.

“Pre-collection is fully democratic….we’re talking to people [who] are not specifically into fashion. They’re more into attitudes and lifestyle,” said the creative director. Hence, for pre-fall 2023, garments and accessories multiplied — cue a new collaboration with Luxottica for sunglasses or the new Charm-D quilted bag crafted with denim leftovers.

Keeping with Diesel’s irreverent attitude, Martens included denim pants cut with biker detailing, distressed, slashed on the ankles or with jersey inserts on the sides in flared or baggy styles. For an extra dose of Y2K nostalgia (if more were still needed), the brand’s D logo appeared in a blown-up scale on the back of miniskirts and jeans.

Yet the sexy, unapologetic spirit of the Diesel woman was best conveyed through denim dresses with front zippers and long skirts, woven denim track tops as well as metallic hooded frocks, wrap skirts and tops with a futuristic vibe embellished with the omnipresent D buckle. Highlights also included a yellow knitted look stretching over the body and printed airy options, such as slipdresses and caftans. Flanking the world map pattern, an acid floral motif splashed on frocks and cropped padded jackets energized the raw appeal of the lineup with its vibrant orange, pink and red hues.

The pop, rave and biking worlds were juxtaposed to both utilitarian cargo pants and bombers in maxi volumes and dark soft tailoring — a category Martens tiptoed into earlier this year and further indulged in for pre-fall as, surprising even to him, it resonated well with customers.

Martens is the Belgian designer behind Y/Project and the creative director of Diesel.

PARIS — Glenn Martens, recently appointed as creative director of Diesel, has decided to lighten the show schedule for his Y/Project brand by merging men’s wear and women’s wear into a single unified collection.
The designer, who is based in Paris, will present the coed line during Paris Men’s Fashion Week in January and June, he said on Thursday. The first collection will be unveiled on Jan. 24 at 4 p.m. CET. 
Having produced collections largely remotely while under lockdown last year, Martens focused on giving existing designs a second life, homing in on the house’s trademark twisted constructions. In June 2020, he launched an eco-friendly line called Evergreen, a carryover collection of signature designs that never go on sale.

“To further protect our business, the fashion that we love, we have decided not to follow the extreme pace of four fashion weeks a year. Y/Project will stop showing four collections and merge the men’s and women’s into one bigger, more sustainable, and even more pushed collection,” Martens said in a statement.
“By freeing time, this lapse of six months will give my team more freedom to explore, more time to deliver the intriguing designs you have been expecting from us,” added the designer, who won support from ANDAM’s family fund last summer with a cash endowment of 150,000 euros. 
Y/Project joins brands including Givenchy, Jacquemus and Balmain in going coed, though the others will show as part of the February/March women’s calendar.
In his new position at Diesel, Martens has oversight over style, communications and interior design. He is sure to bring a blast of creative energy and renewed attention to the denim brand, which has not had a marquee talent at the helm since Nicola Formichetti exited in December 2017 after a four-year tenure as artistic director.
Martens will show his first Diesel collection for spring 2022, although the brand has yet to decide on when and how it will be presented to the press, given the ongoing uncertainties related to the coronavirus pandemic.
See also: 
Y/Project Men’s Spring 2021
Glenn Martens is the New Creative Director of Diesel
ANDAM Winners Marine Serre and Glenn Martens Look to Fashion’s Future