Diesel S.p.A. is an Italian design company known for high-end ready-to-wear clothing favored by fashion-conscious young adults. Owned by it founder Renzo Rosso, the company is located in Breganze, Italy. Asked for an accounting of their rapid success, Rosson explained that, “they (had) learned marketing from the US, creativity from Italy, and systems from Germany.”

More recently, Diesel expanded its brand outside of prêt-à-porter fashion to work with established manufacturers to create special addition cars, motorcycle helmets, textiles and, importantly, contemporary lighting fixtures by collaborating with the lighting expertise of Foscarini.

“Thus began a very fruitful outpouring of lighting design that combined fresh forms with reliable and durable Foscarini components,” Arkitektura’s CEO, Andrew Fisher continues, “enriching the Diesel Lighting catalog with unique marriages of retro designs and high tech materials.”

Some examples of Diesel Lighting products include:

The Glass Drop, ceiling lights than hangs “like a small drop of incandescent glass, (appearing) to represent the magical and fleeting nature of this raw material, which is both fluid and solid at the same time, just before it takes shape in an ancient glass-blowing workshop… (interacting) with light, changing color and appearance according to its intensity. Aerial and precious, even when it is turned off, it can be used alone or in multiple horizontal compositions, suspended over a long table in a home or over the counter of a communal space, or vertically, at different rights, to decorate a large entrance, a stairwell or reception area.”  

Heavy Metal is a Diesel Lighting table lamp. “Unrefined in its roughly artisanal appearance and visible welds, refined in its vintage-inspired design: the lamp is called Heavy Metal, two souls for an absolutely unique personality. The metal used to make it is dipped in a special acidic bath which alters its surface to a different extent each time, accelerating the natural oxidation process and warming the burnished color with shades of blue, green and ochre. The up and down light is also warm, with an enveloping and involving effect.”

The Heavy Metal concept is also available as a floor lamp. “Either version is ideal when teamed with a sofa or armchair,” explains Fisher. The Arkitektura Showrooms in San Francisco and Birmingham, Michigan are the perfect salons in which the architect, interior designer or private collector may pursue the many contemporary lighting expressions from Diesel Lighting.

In all, Andrew Fisher’s locations represent almost sixty modern furniture makers and contemporary lighting firms, giving the passionate an unparalleled opportunity to explore the edges and nuances of modern home, office and public space furniture and contemporary lighting design.

diesel.com