Diesel Names Y/Project's Glenn Martens as Creative Director

PARIS, France — Italian jeans brand Diesel has named Y/Project designer Glenn Martens as its creative director.

Martens will remain in place at the helm of Y/Project, the independent Paris label known for its ruched silhouettes and avant-garde denim, an OTB spokesperson said.

Diesel, the flagship brand of Italian entrepreneur Renzo Rosso's OTB fashion group, has struggled to reposition itself as mall traffic sputtered and demand for premium denim dried up in recent years. The decline has required Rosso to refocus his energies on Diesel after expanding into luxury holdings like Maison Martin Margiela and Marni.

After declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy at its US division, Diesel returned to growth in 2019, contributing to a 6.6 percent increase in OTB's sales which hit €1.53 billion ($1.8 billion). The denim brand also tapped a new CEO, Massimo Piombini, this year.

Diesel has previously collaborated with Martens, a winner of France's Andam fashion prize, for its Red Tag line. His appointment is effective immediately and marks the next step in the company's come-back plans.

“Ever since I met Glenn in 2017 I saw his experience grow and his talent cement,” Rosso said in a statement. “I am happy to now see him take the helm of Diesel, where he will marry his design vision with the iconoclastic values of this unique brand."

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