Glenn Martens Invades the Archive for Diesel FW26
A subversive celebration of “Successful Living” featuring 50,000 pieces of brand history.
Diesel just turned the runway into a forensic crime scene of nearly 50 years of partying for its Fall/Winter 2026 collection presented at Milan Fashion Week. Creative director Glenn Martens is leaning into the chaotic energy of the morning after, delivering a wardrobe designed for those who wake up in a random hotel room looking like the “most glorious person ever”. Opening up the brand’s massive vault, the show features an immersive installation of 50,000 archival pieces that serve as a living record of the Diesel universe.
Here, the collection thrives on the “intentionally wrong”. We saw denim baked with permanent resin creases to look like it has been worn for days straight. Jersey tops are engineered with double layers to look rucked up and thrown on, while “monster” coats arrive as a patchworked clash of vivid colors and textures. Martens also continued to play with proportions, boiling down supersized knits into wrinkled essentials and adding functional pockets at the hem of pants that sit directly over the shoe.
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For the footwear and accessory heads, the debut of the D-One bag was the major talking point. It features handles that transform into multiple-buckled straps running down the body, available in everything from leather to crystal-encrusted denim. The footwear stays sharp with a sculptural, walled-in profile on pumps and boots, while the new “Closer” watch marks the brand’s first foray into a unisex style that merges high-tech functionality with jewelry-inspired detailing. The lineup also highlights “responsible” denim and upcycled materials, proving that the Diesel aesthetic is as much about the future as it is about its 1978 roots.
For more FW26 runways, check out our London Fashion Week recap.
