Abstract
In 1978 Renzo Rosso founded the Diesel clothing company. The brand's growth story was a phenomenal success in a short span of time. Indeed, its first market is the United States where the company carries out 15% of its sales turnover. In France, the sales have tripled in three years, to reach 22 million euros in 2002. In total, there are 12 subsidiary companies in Europe, Asia and in America; 5500 retail stores in 80 countries; a sales turnover of 350 million dollars and 1300 employees in the world. Diesel presents a niche of ready-to-wear clothes and draws a balance between the creative fashion and the semi-luxury segments. It is predominantly, a semi up-market image that is often portrayed by the brand. Moreover, to cultivate this image of being semi up-market, the brand reduced its retailers in three years by half the existing number, from 10,000 retails to 5,500. Thus the distribution channel in France is now, composed of eleven shops and more than 400 multibrand stores.
