Diesel and Lee Unite to Curb Textile Waste

Diesel is embracing the sharing economy with its new concept, Diesel Loves.

Envisioned by Diesel creative director Glenn Martens, Diesel Loves is a call-to-action for the denim community to share materials, manufacturing and resources as a “challenge to the industry standard of brand collaborations,” Martens said on Instagram.

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“Diesel Loves proposes a more purposeful approach to the cult of brand partnerships, applying collective creativity to the perennial problem of overproduction,” the Durex collaborator shared on social media.

In addition to reducing waste, Diesel Loves results in one-of-a-kind Frankenstein-ed designs.

The first competitor to collaborate with Diesel is U.S. heritage brand Lee. The “Diesel Loves Lee” limited-edition collection is made entirely from unsold stock or unused materials—a “50/50” from each brand—redesigned and merged as one.

The two denim giants said the partnership represents the “power of denim to unite us all.”

The collection offers one men’s straight fit and one women’s “bootcut and flare” style. Jeans are either Diesel on the front and Lee on the back or vice versa, embracing different length, rises and washes.

In addition to the jeans’ original branding elements, each pair of Diesel Loves Lee has a special co-branded label on the waistband.

Limited to 3,000 pairs, the capsule is now available exclusively on diesel.com for Europe and Japan, with the entire collection launching next March on both brands’ websites. Jeans retail for $350.

Additionally, 100 percent of proceeds will go to the UNHCR, the United Nations Refugee Agency, via Diesel’s parent company’s philanthropic arm, the Only the Brave Foundation.

“Diesel Loves stands for two fashion brands—in theory two competitors—which actually now work together to create something good,” Martens said. “This is a call to action for other fashion brands to join us sharing existing materials and creative resources to empower change and help people.”

Utilizing deadstock has been a priority of Martens since he joined the brand in 2020. His first full collection transformed reused deadstock denim into a lattice-detailed, floor-grazing topcoat for Spring/Summer 2022.