On Saturday, October 11th, an ambitious musical event will take place with seventeen different parties happening simultaneously in seventeen different countries to celebrate the 30 year anniversary of one of the most daring and distinctive denim labels. The architect of this sheer musical madness is none other than Italian maverick, Renzo Rosso of Diesel. He’s made an entire career out of defying conventions and doing things his own impassioned, witty, idiosyncratic way.
Where did you get the idea for this massive global party?
Renzo Rosso: We wanted to celebrate 30 years of creativity and passion and do it in a way only Diesel could do. It’s not about reflecting on our past but looking to the future and using all our talents to come together and create this huge event. There is so much passion and spirit at Diesel, this is a party for the people in the truest sense of the word, anyone can get a ticket. The idea was borne out of sharing this amazing milestone
You have been doing the Diesel:U Music Awards for sometime now. How important is music and supporting new music and artists to you?
RR: Diesel is renowned for its support of young and fresh talent, be it in music, film, fashion or art. This year we have taken Diesel U Music a step further by creating a radio station, a voice for new music that can be heard worldwide. It’s about giving people the tools and then seeing them succeed and excel in their creativity. This year we have turned our 30th birthday party in to the ultimate music awards and given raw talent, such as the band Princeton who will be performing at the UK event, a unique platform.
Diesel is much more than a brand, it’s more a lifestyle. Would you agree with this?
RR: The strength of a brand lies within its capacity to remain true to itself and its beliefs when it is stretched in to new shapes and directions. What began as a pair of jeans is now a car, a wine, a homeware collection, Diesel has always been about leading a successful lifestyle and now we have the products that enable you to lead that life.
You said in an interview, “I don’t believe in reincarnation, so for me, paradise is this life.” How do you uphold this philosophy?
RR: It’s about finding your own paradise and then being able to share it with those around you. My family are my passion and creating a paradise for them, being able to share what I have built and seeing success. Diesel is not my job, it’s my life.
You released a book when you turned forty called ‘Forty’ and then again when you turned ‘Fifty’. What new chapter do you hope to add when you release ‘Sixty’?
RR: The joy of living in the moment is the joy of not knowing what could happen tomorrow. I hope that it will be a chapter in a format that does not even exist, that we cannot imagine right now.
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