Is the recession making us all a bit more maudlin and nostalgic? Not that that is a bad thing; looking back is always a good way to reference a feeling one might find relevant now. And looking at Diesel’s Fall 2009 line made me recall just that: my days in Seattle, however post grunge, still lingering in my visual memory: Messy cardigans, torn deconstructed tshirts, combat boots and the I-don’t-care-if-sequins-clash-with-floral attitude is here, but refined.
The collection recalls days of early flapper jazz and the hodge podge cool of grunge. The two work well together. Music is always a good cue: a live jazz quartet scats to Nirvana’s Smells Like Teen Spirit. You think it won’t work. But it does. And the result is a bit of tailored rebelliousness, like equestrians getting wind of punk. The cuts are masculine and give structure to the haphazardly buttoned up cardigans, lace up wing tip ankle booties and daring tights with leather panels. The tights are so much more interesting than ripped denim. It feels reactionary to the ripped tights/denim thing that is happening at the moment.
Other stand outs are the wool and denim harem pants girded by leather garter belts. It rides the line of being straight laced and naughty. I love it and I love how it hangs just so over the softly ballooning pants. The tuxedo jacket is present and it is cinched and jaunty. It gives just enough balance to the pronounced volume of the pants. And will jumpsuits and rompers ever go away? This is on a side note, but there is a bar in Williamsburg where all the waiters serve cocktails and ceviche in industrial style jumpers while you watch artsy movies on 10 foot screens. Industrial chic. It is not going to die soon. They all looked as if they were about to pump gas and then maybe hand you a card to their gallery opening. Not that Diesel is trying to achieve that– or are they? This gives me pause. If they are, they are doing it with just the right amount of discretion to give note and praise. Here we are now, Entertain us.
-Jeanie Kwak
Photos and Video by Stevyn Llewellyn