They’re not playing it safe.
Italian fashion label Diesel brought the shock factor to their electric runway show on the first day of Milan Fashion Week Wednesday, as a mountain of 200,000 condoms towered over the catwalk and viewers.
“We like to play at Diesel, and we are serious about it,” the brand’s creative director Glenn Martens wrote on the luxury brand’s website. “Have fun, respect each other, be safe.”
In partnership with Durex, Diesel displayed the massive mound of condoms in the “heart” of the catwalk to promote “sex positivity.” The collection is slated to hit stores around the world in April – along with 300,000 free condoms.
The stack of rubbers glistened red against the cherry-hued floor, as models sported designs featuring barely-there mesh and tattered denim. The fall/winter 2023 collection is described by Martens as “more condensed and concentrated, more grown up, fun and strong and playful,” per the fashion house’s website.
The Post has reached out to Diesel representatives for comment.
Against the backdrop of a colossal condom summit, the brazen show was the pinnacle of liberating sex appeal, complete with bare chests, asymmetrical detailing and ragged hems. The “playful” looks gave an air of unabashed freedom of expression, instead of adhering to rigid chicness.
Nudity has been the norm for designers as of late, but Diesel’s rugged, loose and off-balance pieces put a rebellious touch on the long-standing see-through trend.
High-brow luxury, evident in glittery heels and floor-length dresses, was juxtaposed with rock and roll staples — the brand is known for its utilitarian distressed jeans, after all — and smelled more like dollar signs than teen spirit.
While some models flaunted denim frocks with mesh patches or blingy body chains, others strutted in graphic pieces featuring mouths, eyes and noses. Models were also fashioned in purposefully winkled sets, cargo pants, floor-length, oversized trenches and double layers of sweat shorts and baggy jeans.
“There are the four pillars of Diesel – denim, utility, pop and artisanal – and we push the experimentation with each of them,” Martens’ online statement reads.
But cut-outs and tatters haven’t lowered the price tag for Diesel denim – the brand’s spring/summer collection retailed for hundreds or thousands of dollars, and it’s likely these will hurt the wallet just the same.