3rd Diesel Jeans Catalog From Fall Winter 1988 – 1989
Diesel Jeans launched their third print catalog in 1989 – 1989 for their Fall Winter collection. This was the third issue by the Italian denim company. The period that their jeans fits as Trading, Cheyenne and Saddle ruled their denim collection. The time that their iconic Mohawk indian with the pay-off ‘Only the Brave’ dominated their outstanding collections.
Core in the collection were the Ranger and Denver jackets. Both inspired by American vintage jackets but with an Italian twist. They also had some very nice leather biker jackets and millitary flight jackets. A very progressive and innovative look in that time for the industry.
Their catalogs were made in small runs so it wasn’t so easy to get your hands on a copy. After 30 years you can see the total Diesel Jeans catalog now here below. This catalog contains only 14 pages and the format is like a vinyl record sleeve, just as the previous two editons. This third edition was a big inspiration source for many other denim brands. A new standard who influenced a lot of denim people.
Watch also the 1st catalog made by Diesel in 1987 – 1988 here.
Thank you very much for uploading these.
Once upon a time—at 14—I was driving by Mizner Park in Boca Raton (on vacation). I saw a book in a window. It had a woman sitting in a tire. She was very striking. So was the cover.
I thought that it was some retro Americana art collection or some magical 50’s guide to life—so I made my grandparents stop. I hopped out to try and buy it. The boutique gladly handed me one for free and I took off—very pleased (until a few days later when I returned to discover that the jacket I wanted was 1200 bucks).
What was inside blew my mind and sparked a lifetime of creativity, imagination and determination. And in simple terms, it also started my career off.
I would end up running the first Diesel Jeans “floor” at Paris Texas in Montreal, as a part-time job in High School, while I was dealing with our school bully, who also happened to be the son of the distributor (how amusing). That didn’t stop me from making them lots of money. And in fact, I think that I owe that bully for making me a man, and his Dad for teaching me how to dress. Much love Lou and Mitch! (I ended up buying that jacket btw after working there for a year)
In fact, I was so keen to have my own Diesel brand that I brought Invicta to Canada (and the USA), along with Ferrari and other Italian groups with the intention of launching Daniele Ricci’s clothing brands (Absolut Joy, BSA, etc.) into North America as my lead. Of course, I also wanted to put Diesel out of business and then buy them lol. Sadly, that didn’t work out due to my “partners” not sharing my…vision. They messed the company up and I started another one in a more entertainment-directed direction.
Anyway—at one point, Diesel went from retro idealistic Americana (with a good ironic twist) to nihilist euro-trash patronizing garbage in aesthetic and brand sensibility—and lost me and their entire market demographic in the process. But that doesn’t matter now. What does is what was accomplished and why.
Renzo pitched a vision of an unstoppable idealistic universe that one could live, play and achieve within—and utilized, re-purposed and re-invented the brand identity of the West (literally and figuratively). It was incredible.
I owe him and his team a giant debt of gratitude.