Diesel FW25: 3200 Sq Meters of Graffiti Collides with Tweed

Glenn Martens Transforms Diesel FW25 Runway Into Street Art Canvas, Blending High Fashion With Urban Expression

_By_Giulia Giachetti

The philosopherWalter Benjaminonce said that in the Middle Ages, art was not seen as an individual creation but as a collective, anonymous expression—deeply rooted in community and tradition. TheDieselFW25_runway show is, in every sense, a total and collective work of art, a bold celebration of street culture where_Glenn Martensloses himself and finds himself again in the details.

Six miles of white canvas were sent to art schools and street art groups across the world, to be graffitied by over 7,000 artists who took part in the_Diesel Global Street Art Contest_. From there, it made its way to Milan, covering the runway and transforming it into a walkable canvas—an immersive, post-apocalyptic installation dominated by one of the gigantic blow-up dolls from the_SS23_set, curated byStudio Dennis Vanderbroeck.

Set to a soundtrack that distorts Bach's orchestral works into a ringtone—or better yet, a chiptune straight out of a 2000s video game—models take to the runway with uncanny, clownish makeup: spray-painted smiley-like grins and cyborg contact lenses, now a signature of Glenn Martens' beauty aesthetic.

The first looks nod to quiet luxury and_Chanel_, so much so that the creative director himself describes the show's concept as: "Coco Chanel goes to Balmoral and gets drunk on sherry with the Queen."

Looks 11 and 13 walk the Diesel FW25 runway in Milan (Photo courtesy of Edward Wendt)

Pied de poule, tweed, and_mélange_textures created in denim dominate a large part of the collection, but they are not the only ones showcasing_Diesel's_mastery of textile manipulation. The brand also presents distressed_froissé_,bouclé, and_trompe-l'œil_techniques. One of the most unique pieces is a molded rubber "cable-knit" sweater, crafted to resemble human skin.

Artistic experimentation is also reflected in the construction of the garments: ultra-padded hooded jackets, bouncy ruffled knits, and a denim peplum that looks like the top of a pair of jeans, worn over destroyed denim jacquard hot pants.

Silhouettes push to extremes: ultra-high-waisted shorts revealing jacquard panties and impossibly low jeans create the same peekaboo effect, with a bumster cut highlighted by the completely bare backs of the final looks—also a nod to the_trompe-l'œil_effects typical of_Y/Project_.

Looks 35 and 47 (Photos courtesy of Edward Wendt)

When it comes to accessories, the iconic_Double D_bag gets a bouclé makeover, while two new statement bags make their debut: the slouchy_Flag-D_and the sleek, oval-shaped_Load D_. The fabric treatments extend to footwear as well, giving rise to houndstooth slippers and_bouclé_kitten-heel boots.

Accessories standout as seen in Look 54 (Photos courtesy of Edward Wendt)

Beyond the_FW25_collection's runway setting, the collaboration with graffiti artists has also resulted in an exclusive Street Art capsule collection, featuring pieces personally customized by the artists themselves—a raw fusion of street and high fashion.

Looks 15 and 56 (Photos courtesy of Edward Wendt)

The front row was a reflection of the culture_Diesel_champions, packed with street-connected personalities: Italian rap stars likeAnna PepeandTony Effe, alongside international names such asCharlotte de Witte.

This fashion show was much more than just a runway—it was a full-scale art performance and a way to connect and give voice to both emerging and established graffiti artists, celebrating the street art community and_Diesel's_core values: the subversion of the everyday, democracy, and fun.