Brand: Diesel
Model: PROTOTYPE
Release Date: December 2021, additional colorways in February 2022
Price: $395
Buy: Online at Diesel
Editor's Notes: Glenn Martens' appointment as Creative Director at Diesel signaled a new beginning for the brand, one that would rethink and reshape the design direction of its collections from the ground up. This shift is evident already with the overhaul of the Diesel online store, and who could forget its Spring/Summer 2022 show?
Part of this ongoing evolution is a revitalization of Diesel's footwear offering.
Sneakers have been a main component of seasonal collections for quite some time now, but silhouette and colorways just haven't been hitting in the same way that other fashion brands' products have. Despite efforts, Diesel is yet to have its own major hits like the Balenciaga Triple S, Track 2, or Dior B22.
Things could be about to change with the upcoming launch of Martens' debut sneaker for the brand, dubbed the PROTOTYPE.
In our analysis of the Spring/Summer 2022 show, we took note of the at-the-time unknown sneaker. It has now become clear this will be the brand's hero sneaker.
It comes with a striking design, made up of repeated rubber straps and asymmetric lacing, complete with industrial outsole tread and molded rubber overlays across its uppers. Its first iteration takes on a USA-flag palette of red, white, and blue. An additional black and red colorway appeared in the SS22 show.
To mark the upcoming launch, Diesel worked with The Fabricant to create an NFT of the sneaker which launched earlier this week.
Could this be the start of Diesel's infiltration of the sneaker industry? Let's wait and see.
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