Renzo Rosso - Diesel + Edun Collaboration March 21 2013

Robert enjoyed photographing the very charismatic Renzo Rosso (founder of Diesel) at his villa in Italy - he was a most charming host and they had a great time together. You can view the portraits of Renzo and his son Andrea here and here.

So when Robert saw the latest collaboration between Diesel and Edun, we just had to blog about this great project. 

The DIESEL+EDUN collaboration will engage a global audience with the passion of its founders to raise awareness of the creative opportunities in Africa and build sustainable trade with the continent through fashion - a global loudspeaker for the new African economic and creative paradigm.



In January 2012, DIESEL founder Renzo Rosso and EDUN founders Ali Hewson and Bono travelled to Uganda and Mali, where they shared their love of the continent and toured each other’s programs: DIESEL’s Only The Brave Foundation project in Dioro, Mali and EDUN’s Conservation Cotton Initiative (CCI) in Uganda. The experience encouraged them to join forces to further apparel trade and development in Africa under the name DIESEL+EDUN.

Using raw, untreated denim, the DIESEL+EDUN collection was built around a reinterpretation of the four-pocket jean of the 1970s popular on the streets of South Africa. Malian textile prints are echoed in the denim lining and across the jersey pieces in the collection. Embroidery details reference traditional Zulu weaving patterns, while the dresses feature Kenyan metalwork. Running through the collection are four original symbols designed to reflect the heart of the DIESEL+EDUN collection.

You can read more about and support this great initiative here.