Diesel Hired Plus-Size Models Found On Tumblr For New Ad Campaign

Instead of focusing on models or celebrities, Diesel’s artistic director,Nicola Formichetti relied on Tumblr and word of mouth to cast the subjects of Diesel’s new campaign. In a campaign which can only be described as power to the people as it shuns the typical formula for casting new campaign models, Diesel have connected with their audience in what I can only describe as extraordinarily heartwarming. Casting everyday models in their latest campaign, not only allows Diesel to connect with their audience but also creates plenty of creative content and discussion on social media platforms for Diesel, which is most definitely a win win situation for the brand.

Examples of those cast in the campaign include Michelle Calderon, a 22-year-old pink-haired graffiti artist; Helen Primack, a 15-year-old aqua-haired aspiring filmmaker and student at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in New York, and Benjamin Ackermann, a light-eyed 23-year-old photographer, musician and collage artist. There are a few models in the mix, notably Loulou Robert, Omahyra Mota and Casey Legler, the former Olympic swimmer who broke gender barriers as a woman being contracted as a male model.

“I wanted to find people who reflected the diversity of the creative community today and not just the typical model. I wanted the campaign to showcase a variety of characters, people who are beautiful in their own unique way,” said Formichetti. The ads will break in the September issue of Vogue and will run in additional magazines in October. Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin shot them, and Formichetti styled them with Diesel denim and leather.

What do we all think? Personally, I think this is great and only hope the rest of the fashion industry follow suit!