Hasta La Ideas

With acclaimed Greek fashion designer Sophia Kokosalaki at the helm, the Diesel Black Gold Autumn/Winter 2010 collection maintains its defining rock ‘n’ roll attitude but updates it with the newly-appointed designer’s characteristically intricate details.

To set its pieces apart from their world-renowned denim, the Italian label’s high-end line uses better fabrics and elaborate embellishments, like this season’s metal embroidery. Kokosalaki seemed to embrace a heavy Americana streak for her debut collection, with a Harley-inspired vibe ironically lending clothes a look that would fit right in at a county fair in the early ’90s. This knit quilted motorcycle jacket featured impressive technical specs, while denim and leather jackets boasted airbrushed graphics on the back.

For the denim itself, Kokosalaki explained how she treated the denim as if it were yarn. Her technique involves such elaborate approaches as combining three layers of yarn to achieve a true vintage effect and spending nearly six months developing one type of denim.

Extremely slim silhouettes cater to a set that likely doesn’t share body types with the bikers they emulate, and feminine components—such as lace outlining denim hot pants, sheer tulle over denim jumpsuits, crystal studded belts cinching mono-shoulder leather mini-dresses, and soft mohair tops layered over black leather shorts—add another twist to the concept.

Wanting to “keep the Black Gold DNA” an obvious element, Kokosalaki successfully integrated her own elegant aesthetic without taking away from the label’s edgy nature for a cohesive collection.