diesel aw26 | glenn martens’ memorabilia

 

Milan Fashion Week has officially started and there was no better opening than the Diesel Autumn/Winter 2026 show. Walking into the venue felt like stumbling into the aftermath of the world’s most stylish burglary. The Superstudio Maxi was transformed into a massive, immersive installation featuring 50,000 pieces of archival memorabilia; it was presented like forensic evidence from five decades of relentless partying. 

Repurposed props and objects across 6,000 different categories filled the space, creating the hum of a fever-dream flea market under blindingly bright lights. This environment served as the perfect backdrop for Glenn Martens to explore a collection that celebrates a night that never quite ended.

The Creative Director describes this season as an exploration of the morning after. “This collection is about waking up in a place, with no idea what happened last night, and you are the most glorious person ever. When you sneak away from the hotel room of the person who you don’t even know, you are truly at your best,” he says. This spirit of subversion defines every garment, offering a wardrobe that tells its own messy, beautiful stories.

Everything appears intentionally wrong in a way that feels incredibly right. Double-layer jersey tops are rucked up as though thrown on in a hurry, while supersized knits have been boiled down to create wrinkled, shrunken textures. Denim is treated with resin to lock in permanent creases; it gives the impression that the jeans have been worn for several days straight. Some trousers even feature hidden vertical slits at the ankle to allow a stiletto heel to peek through, fastened with hook-and-eye closures for an added edge.

 

Upcycling plays a major role in the creative expression of the house, with felted tailoring crafted from production leftovers and industrial scraps. Fluffed-up alpaca coats remain unlined and raw, while intarsia knits feature floral cut-outs that look as though they have been nibbled away. The colour palette is a riotous clash; denim is flocked, leather is painted in sweet elemental shades and velvet dresses explode in vivid, wild tones.

Innovation continues through the accessories, specifically with the debut of the D-One bag. It features handles that transform into multiple-buckled straps down the body, available in leather or crystal-encrusted denim. Footwear follows a sculptural profile with lateral walls around the foot, appearing on both women’s pumps and men’s derbies. The show also introduced the Closer watch; the brand’s first unisex style that merges functionality with jewellery detailing.

Diesel continues to demonstrate that there is beauty in the breakdown. This collection celebrates the thrill of the unknown and the glamour found in the chaos of a life lived at full volume.

Discover the Autumn/Winter 2026 collection here.

photography. courtesy of Diesel, Delfino 
words. Gennaro Costanzo