diesel | the new brutalist berlin flagship store

Berlin has a new landmark, and it feels as tough and uncompromising as the city itself: a colossal dose of Diesel attitude poured into raw concrete and finished with deep-red illusion. The brand has just opened its latest flagship on Kurfürstendamm 195, right on the corner of Bleibtreustrasse, staking a mighty claim on one of the capital’s most iconic streets.

But this isn’t your usual boutique. Two stories high and constructed entirely from precast concrete covering floors, ceilings and walls, the space is the dream of every modern brutalist. Its austere, precisely cut surfaces set up a sharp contrast with the carefully curated displays of Diesel’s women’s, men’s, and accessories collections, including a selection of runway pieces. The boutique’s design combines the steep features of an industrial bunker with the precision of an art gallery, perfectly aligning with Glenn Martens’ vision of alternative luxury.

One thing to note: Martens has lately emphasised not just aesthetic shock but rooted authenticity. Diesel’s recent boutiques (including its 201 sqm store in Düsseldorf) show how the brand is pushing concrete, metal and display simplicity not for bare-bones minimalism, but for texture and material truth. This Berlin store follows that lineage, marrying architectural weight with crafted atmosphere.

Unsurprisingly, the ground floor is dedicated to the house’s protagonist: denim. The attention is instantly captured by a dramatic, deep-red installation inspired by the brand’s iconic biscotto logo. Thanks to clever trompe-l’œil and anamorphic tricks, the piece makes for a powerful optical statement, making it impossible to look anywhere else.

Meanwhile upstairs, there’s a dedicated art pop-up space designed to host a rolling programme of collaborations, campaigns and cultural moments, ensuring the flagship is constantly plugged into Berlin’s dynamic creative pulse. This isn’t intended to be a static spot to shift product, but an evolving hub built to directly connect the Diesel community.

To celebrate the arrival, Diesel transformed the place into a temporary, high-energy playground last night, filled with music, design, and genuine subculture spectacle. That launch captured precisely what the store is meant to be: a proper meeting point of style and attitude, now cemented – in the most literal sense – into Berlin’s urban fabric.

For the brand, founded by Renzo Rosso back in 1978 and now brilliantly steered by Martens, this Berlin flagship is a powerful milestone in their global expansion.

photography. courtesy of Diesel
words. Gennaro Costanzo