Created in collaboration with 55DSL, the brand’s creative spinoff formerly headed by Rosso himself, the collection aims to reduce the consumption of materials as well as decreasing energy use, air and water pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. The designs see Diesel’s deadstock, samples and prototypes become confident patchworks and street-inspired layers, while colour swatches and checked shirts are pieced together into fresh silhouettes and mineral tie-dye treatments revamp the fabrics. “For me, to use waste is one of the most beautiful things that you can do,” Rosso tells Eco-Age. “If you can create something and give a second life to a product that is destined for landfill, it’s better to stop and think about doing it. So we did, and the upcycling collection was born.”
“We don’t use any new raw materials, and that is a key feature of upcycling,” he continues, explaining how they were able to see the beauty in the colour and textures of old samples and materials that would have otherwise gone to waste. “We don’t go to the supplier, but instead we go to the warehouse where the yarns and fabrics were already produced years ago, to scout out materials that we can bring back to life.”
The DIESEL UPCYCLING FOR series debuted in Milan with a live performance in the city’s flagship store, with seamstresses making pieces of the limited-edition collection in front of an audience of fashion’s elite. Each item in the collection has a unique QR code, allowing the prospective buyers to learn more about the process of how the garment has been reborn. “The fact that you can use modern technology to testimony your past is amazing,” commented Rosso. “We filmed and photographed the whole process of producing each garment, so when the QR code is scanned, it shows those photos of every step. The fact that we have a tool today that can tell you how the clothes you are wearing have been made is indicative of their value. For us this is a very important step.”