ABOUT

In the USA, the term “knock-off” refers to a counterfeit product, made to look like the original, but designed with cheap material and usually has subtle design or spelling changes. New York’s counterfeit district, located primarily on Canal Street, is world famous for being a prime destination for counterfeit goods. The very heart of this district is located on the intersection of Canal St. and Broadway, which is exactly where we set up the DEISEL knock-off store.

Staying true to Diesel’s disruptive nature, our design team subverted Diesel’s classic logo with subtle misspellings to look like a real knock-off. We then rented a store in the heart of NYC’s counterfeit district for two weeks. For authenticity, we designed it to look cluttered and hired two actors to perform as suspicious shopkeepers. The store opened secretly for the first week. Those brave enough to shop there during this time bought real Diesel pieces, disguised as DEISEL, for knock-off prices. The second week was the big reveal during New York Fashion Week. Full price this time. First, we teased the idea through Instagram Stories, then we let the secret out through social media, attracting thousands of fans and fashionistas. The store was supposed to be open for several days, but it sold out in one. Then we launched the brand globally on Diesel . com, selling out in several hours.