Based in the small villlage of Molvena in the north of Italy, Diesel SpA is one of Europe's top manufacturers of designer jeans and other apparel, including the upscale DieselStyleLab brand, the extreme sports-inspired 55-DSL sportswear line, and Diesel Kids children's clothing.
Diesel also licenses its brand for a number of accessory products, including eyewear, manufactured by Italy's Safilo; shoes and other footwear by Global Brand Marketing USA; luggage and other leather goods by Principe, in Italy; and perfumes and cosmetics, under the Diesel Plus Plus and Zero Plus labels, manufactured by Germany's Marbert. Diesel's irreverent advertising campagins have driven its strong implantation in more than 10,000 chain and department stores in more than 80 countries worldwide
The company insists on maintaining essentially identical marketing and branding activities across its global market. Diesel also has been building up a network of company-owned and franchised Diesel retail stores, which feature its jeans and the DieselStyleLab labels. By 2001, the company operated nearly 150 retail stores. The expansion of its retail operations indicated the long-private Diesel might go public early in the new century. Diesel, led by founder Renzo Rosso, posted L 640 billions in revenues in 2000.