Diesel initiates campaign against counterfeiting

Leveraging cutting-edge technology, Diesel has achieved a “substantial decrease in the number of counterfeit Diesel products” in the market. The renowned denim label under the Italian fashion powerhouse, OTB, has been vigilantly monitoring the market in this ongoing fight against counterfeiting, and the results have been nothing short of impressive.

With the rise of the digital realm, the sphere of online shopping has witnessed an explosive surge, accompanied by the escalating risks associated with counterfeiting. In this context, the Diesel brand has undertaken a strategic offensive, specifically targeting the online trade of counterfeit products, as well as the platforms that host them, including websites specialized in the resale of second-hand goods. Furthermore, the brand’s prominence has notably increased, particularly since the appointment of Glenn Martens, the creative director of Y/Project, who assumed leadership of Diesel’s collections in October 2020, thereby rendering their products highly coveted.

In a recent press release, the denim brand stated, “Since the beginning of 2023, a total of 80,000 counterfeit Diesel goods have been seized, especially in China, Turkey, and Kosovo. A total of 27,000 listings of several counterfeited goods on online platforms have been removed, and 500 knockoff of Diesel websites have been closed.”

Renzo Rosso, president of OTB and founder of Diesel, proudly declared in the press release, “Counterfeiting is one of the risks that companies face when they become very successful. I am very proud of how Diesel is addressing the challenge of these infringements by taking proactive measures and using increasingly advanced technologies we are really proud of.” 

Since 2017, the company has collaborated with Certilogo, an Italian firm specializing in product authentication, boasting numerous luxury brands as clients. Together, they have developed a system that enables product authentication through a unique QR code and a twelve-digit numerical code. This distinctive digital identity is applied to all items through a specially designed label. Initially introduced for their iconic jeans, this authentication feature was progressively extended to all other Diesel products from 2021 onward. This system empowers customers to verify the authenticity of their purchases via the QR code on their own mobile devices or through the Certilogo platform.

It is worth noting that, in 2021, the OTB Group joined the Aura Blockchain Consortium, an initiative led by industry titans such as LVMH, Prada, and Cartier (owned by the Richemont group). This consortium harnesses blockchain technology to ensure the authenticity and traceability of products, as well as the creations of its member brands, thereby combating counterfeiting through the robust security of this digital framework.

Diesel is not the first fashion brand to take a proactive stance against this menace. Luxury labels invest substantial resources every year to combat this phenomenon, which, despite their efforts, continues to maintain a concerning level of activity.

According to a study unveiled on January 16 by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), counterfeit products cost the European clothing, cosmetics, and toy sectors a staggering 16 billion euros annually, resulting in the loss of nearly 200,000 jobs.