Diesel Just Launched a Capsule Line Made From Upcycled Deadstock

Each item produced for the Diesel Upcycled capsule will come with a QR code that reveals the source of the various “ingredients” used in its creation.

At his brand’s Milan flagship store during fashion week, Diesel founder Renzo Rosso announced the launch of a new capsule collection named Diesel Upcycled For 55DSL (one of the brand’s spinoff lines). The capsule, which will drop every six months with a new designer at the helm for each new cycle, will be made entirely from upcycled Diesel deadstock. The first designer to take on the project is Renzo’s son Andrea, who currently runs his own sustainable fashion label MYAR.

“Everything we can find in Diesel that is deadstock—whether jeans, bottoms, or other all-purpose pieces that have not been sold—we are using for this project,” Andrea tells Vogue. “So we are going to be asking designers to reinterpret existing garments, and there will now be the use of fresh raw materials. I am the first designer, and in June we will announce the next—a German designer whose name we cannot say now—but all of the people we are looking to involve have the sensibility and understanding to work with upcycled materials.”

Each item produced for the Diesel Upcycled capsule line (which will eventually total 5,055 pieces) will come with a QR code that reveals the source of the various “ingredients” used in the creation of these one-of-a-kind items. In this way, says Renzo, “what you get is something unique, ever more singular than a limited edition.” The idea for this capsule line emerged from a collaboration with Eco-Age, led by founder Livia Firth, that helped Diesel develop its “For Responsible Living” strategy.

“The goal is to implement a responsible business strategy that is respectful of people and the environment,” Renzo told Women’s Wear Daily. “Diesel will define measurable targets for the future — tracking progress — and Eco-Age will guarantee control. Consumers need this. I grew up and live in the countryside surrounded by nature, and today we need to face this vital challenge.”