Diesel Encore

Diesel is taking its fall 2022 show on the road. After unveiling the collection in February in Milan, the Italian brand, controlled by OTB, will stage a repeat show in Tokyo on June 9 — again displaying its huge inflatable characters in come-hither poses on the runway.

The move underscores the significance of the Japanese market for Diesel. Diesel is opening a pop-up store in Tokyo’s

Ginza premium shopping district launching Diesel Studio, an interactive project that explores and communicates Tokyo’s mixed cultures with a space for events and activations.

The company has 103 stores in Japan including monobrand units, concessions and outlets.

Diesel is controlled by OTB, which also owns the Marni, Maison Margiela, Jil Sander and Viktor & Rolf brands. OTB chief executive officer Ubaldo Minelli in February, commenting on yearend results, said Japan is “one of the most important markets” for the group, accounting for around a quarter of total sales.

In 2021, OTB’s turnover, including royalties, totaled

1.53 billion euros (excluding nonrecurring revenues of 130 million euros), up 16.2 percent compared with 1.31 billion euros in 2020 and in line with 1.53 billion euros in 2019. Net sales totaled 1.45 billion euros, up 18 percent compared with 2020.

Minelli also touted the evolution of Diesel in the first year under the creative direction of Glenn Martens, “setting the foundations for a new development phase that will place the brand in the alternative luxury segment.”

The company has been streamlining Diesel’s distribution. Sales of the Diesel brand in 2021 represented 45 percent of the total. Earlier this year, Diesel appointed Eraldo Poletto its new CEO for North America. Globally, the brand is helmed by CEO Massimo Piombini.

The first concept store designed by Martens was unveiled at the end of last year in SoHo in New York.

As reported by WWD in February, Martens’ first physical