Inside Diesel’s Bold New Cape Town Store

We speak to Diesel founder Renzo Rosso about the rebellious spirit and bold design choices behind the Italian brand’s newly reimagined V&A Waterfront store.

WORDS Gina Dionisio PHOTOS Supplied

Defined by the iconic Diesel logo and edgy interior, the newly reopened Diesel store at the V&A Waterfront represents the highest expression of the brand’s brave design attitude. Under Diesel founder Renzo Ross and creative director Glenn Martens’ bold vision, the space – with its red walls and resin floors – embodies the rebellious spirit that has defined Diesel since its founding in 1978. We sat down with Renzo to find out more about the brand’s ethos and how Diesel’s retail design concept reflects its forward-facing attitude.

“Diesel has always been about challenging convention,” says Rosso. “We never tried to be different just to be different – we’ve always stayed close to the mindset of youth, of doing things in a new way.” This philosophy is evident in Diesel’s revamped Cape Town store. With Glenn Martens at the creative helm since 2020, Diesel has entered a new era of design – one where fashion, interior and storytelling become one. “Glenn brings energy, youth, and a couture sensibility to the brand,” Rosso notes. “This store? It’s not just retail. It’s Diesel in its purest, most undiluted form.”

Dominated by the iconic Diesel red and raw industrial materials, the interior of the reimagined store sees sleek lacquered surfaces paired with metals and textured resin finishes to create a space with bold visual contrasts. The entrance, with its attention-grabbing posters, references vintage Diesel campaigns from the glory days of Route 66 to anchor the brand’s core identity within the space.

While the brand is seeing major success with online sales, Renzo firmly believes real-world interaction remains irreplaceable. “Online is essential, yes. But connection happens in person.” Cape Town’s new flagship reflects that belief with a locally inspired capsule collection developed especially for the South African market – a tangible gesture of Diesel’s commitment to place and people.

For Renzo, physical stores are more than purely transactional spaces – they’re immersive expressions of identity. “People don’t just want to buy – they want to feel,” he says. “They need to experience a brand’s soul.” That emotional resonance is central to Diesel’s global retail strategy, one that increasingly imagines stores as cultural hubs by including cafés, galleries and interactive areas within these spaces. “My dream is that stores become places to be, not just to shop,” he adds. | diesel.co.za

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