Diesel’s Artistic Director On Androgyny In Its Latest Campaign

Diesel’s Artistic Director On Androgyny In Its Latest Campaign
ERIN MARY Doyle
By ERIN MARY Doyle



Advertising its latest underwear campaign on Pornhub and YouPorn isn’t the only interesting take-away from Diesel’s spring/summer 16 marketing campaign. Its latest campaign also stars androgynous male model Stav Strashko modelling the women’s collection, here’s an excerpt from B&T’s exclusive interview with Diesel’s artistic director Nicola Formichetti talking about casting Strashko and what inspires him. 

Formichetti was the head of Lady Gaga’s ‘Haus of Gaga’ a creative team modeled after Andy Warhol’s Factory. For example, he was behind the infamous ‘meat dress’ Gaga wore to the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards made entirely of raw beef. The 38 year old, Italian-Japanese creative director, joined the Italian fashion house Diesel as artistic director.

“Every time I do a photo-shoot or something creative it always comes from a gut feeling. No one can teach you to do a great marketing campaign or advertisement. It has to be personal to your brand, so I’m really living Diesel at the moment and what is right for the brand,”  Formichetti told B&T during his time at Virgin Australia’s Melbourne Fashion Festival.

?Friends reunited @ladygaga at my @nicopanda show? #nicopanda #nicopandaFW16 #LadyGaga ?

A photo posted by Nicola Formichetti (@nicolaformichetti) on

“For Diesel it’s very important to be commenting and embracing different body types, race, culture and ages. We’re a very democratic brand. In terms of casting, I always start with people who I’m inspired by, it’s very personal and if it’s right for Diesel it just amplifies.

“We’re always pushing it, embracing it and not saying ‘you’re not a model so we don’t like you’.”

One of those people who inspire Formichetti is 22-year-old Ukraine-born, Israel-raised model Stav Strashko. He is the first male model signed to the women’s board at his modelling agency One Management. Strashko identifies as androgynous, he does not identify as transgender.

“I happened to meet Stav and I thought she was so gorgeous. She’s not transitioning. She’s a boy who is very comfortable in her body, but he feels like a girl inside. She’s like ‘I’m really happy with my body’.

“She’s so special looking and that androgyny I have a sweet spot for.”

Here are the videos and photos featuring Strashko in the Diesel’s campaign:

#diesel #ss16 #campaign #holydenim ???@nicolaformichetti ❤@daveysutton ❤ ❤@santiagoandmauricio ❤@diesel

A photo posted by Stav Strashko (@stavstrashko) on

I’m in love? @diesel @daveysutton @nicolaformichetti @trevorsiggs shot by @santiagoandmauricio

A photo posted by Stav Strashko (@stavstrashko) on

 

To read the rest of Formichetti’s interview, pick up your copy of B&T magazine, subscribe here or come on into our shabby chic office where we’ll gladly give you a copy and let you pat our office dog.




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