Fine Fashion Fuel For Fellas (Diesel)

Member Name: plipplop

Product:	Diesel
Date:	27/11/08 (469 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Stylish, jeans fit fantastically, good quality

Disadvantages: Not cheap, rubbish trainers

This is a review of Diesel menswear. Readers should be aware that Diesel also offers a range of clothing for women but with no experience of cross-dressing, I am unable to comment on this.

It wasn't until I saw something in a magazine earlier this year that I became aware that Diesel (the clothes brand) has just reached is thirtieth year. Founded in 1978 by the Italian designer Renzo Rosso, Diesel has spent the last thirty years establishing itself as one of the most successful high street designer fashion brands and is a staple of many a young man's wardrobe. Accessible, funky and versatile, Diesel clothes fall into that mid-range of designer clothes that aren't cheap but aren't so expensive that only the most minted of shoppers can afford them. Diesel stuff is not targeted at the very young. I would say their target market is the 25-34 brigade, who have a bit of money to spend, but don't want to wear something that will only be fashionable for a week.

My love affair with Diesel started with their excellent denim jeans. I've yet to meet a man whose body couldn't be complemented by a good pair of Diesel jeans; indeed my friends and I often refer to Diesel jeans as "nice arse jeans" in light of their attention to the male butt. I've lost count of how many pairs I've got. Distinctive by the little white flash across the condom pocket, Diesel jeans are stylish, hardwearing and consistently sexy. When first introduced to the range, you may find the naming convention slightly unhelpful; a lot of the names are quite similar, yet the styles are very different. To date, I've bought four pairs of blue Zathan boot cut jeans, which, quite simply, get worn to death. My most recent acquisition was a dark-washed pair of Zatiny that are almost certainly the best I've bought yet. The low rise fit is really sexy and they are incredibly comfortable. You can dress them down with trainers and T-shirt, or dress them up with boots and a slim-fit shirt and you look equally cool.

I like the detail on Diesel jeans; it's not too fussy but you get little touches of fabric or colour or stains to make them a little bit distinctive. (Cheaper designers sadly, often copy many of these touches and eBay is rife with fakes. If you're paying less than £75 a pair, you're almost certainly buying a rip-off, so be warned.) My 31-inch waist is extremely difficult to match with jeans that fit properly. Many manufacturers go straight from 30 to 32 inches, neither of which is quite right, and size 31 is hard to find. Diesel, thank goodness, stock all their styles and cuts in a 31 inch waist and although they can still be tricky to get in high street stores, they are always available online. The wash in Diesel jeans seems to last longer than the competition too; I've got three year-old jeans that still look as good as new. It's worth paying more for good jeans so expect to pay between £85 and £200 for the latest styles.

Dousing your man in a style lubricant doesn't stop with the jeans of course and over the last few years the range of clothing produced by Diesel has exploded. Their range of T-shirts is vast and very seasonal. Expect to pay about £25, which isn't cheap, but again, they tend to cut their T-shirts really well catering for a skinny fit, a more muscular fit or a fairly natural, normal fit. G-Star, for example, do a fantastic range if you have a good upper body, but otherwise their tees are either huge and saggy or look like they've shrunk in the wash. Unlike other brands, Diesel hasn't really maintained a consistent logo throughout its history and the T-shirt styles vary wildly from season to season. The designs are generally funky and colourful, often using a variety of fabrics and finishes and there's usually a seasonal theme. The shirts are largely more towards the casual end of the market and don't work so well for me. They seem to be a very large fit and I end up unable to get a cut that fits properly, usually finding them too tight across the chest and then too much fabric around the waist.

Their outerwear is currently the best it has been for some time. They do a stonking range of cardigans and pullovers, in funky seasonal colours and cuts that sit really well with either a T-shirt or a smarter shirt and trousers. Jackets and coats are quite expensive, but their leather jackets are really cool and last forever. Their accessories are hugely varied in quality and style. Some of their belts are really nice, with subtle, well-finished buckles and or details. Others look really cheap and/or old-fashioned, but to give credit, they seem to be one of few men's brands that manufacture belts in different sizes. I really like Diesel watches, particularly the more recent ones that have large, flushed leather straps with simple, plain faces. The jewellery is hit and miss, but much better quality than a lot of the high street rip-off merchants like Top Man or H & M who frequently copy their chains, dog tags and leathers. Special mention also needs to go to their underwear, particularly the Lycra hipsters that fit and last so much better than their Calvin Klein counterparts. Pulling off a T-shirt to find a Diesel waistband is so refreshing compared to the CK stuff you get bored of. Their Fuel For Life fragrance is nice enough, although not remarkable enough to be a classic.

Diesel runs a network of several branded stores in the UK, largely in the big cities. They also have concessions in House of Fraser and Selfridges and are probably at around the right balance between hard to find and on every corner. I have to say that of all the Diesel stores that I've visited, in most the staff members are pretty cool and don't suffer from that designer pretentiousness that makes your average Joe really uncomfortable. The web site's not bad and both the stores and web site deal with returns and refunds pretty much without quibble.

The one thing that really lets Diesel down is its footwear. The trainers seem to be a basic design that gets moderately updated every year and it's now really tired; they look like something from Next. They always seem to be in really drab colours and designs and have a much older look than the rest of the range. They're also really, really uncomfortable and don't last. It's no surprise, therefore, that these often end up in the clearance stores, TK Maxx or similar, once the general public has pretty much concluded they don't want them.

It's a forgivable oversight for a brand that is otherwise pretty reliable. Diesel stuff isn't cheap, but it's not ridiculously over-priced either and you can spot Diesel jeans a mile-off. Join the Diesel revolution and leave the ill-fitting, saggy, faded and unwashed behind.....

Summary: One of the best designer brands around