Diesel Donna
Role: Creative direction, design strategy, research, design and product development.
Sales for women's Diesel watches had always been a small percentage of revenues. I saw an opportunity to create a cohesive women's assortment that leaned on the feminine side but kept the edgy Diesel DNA to grow the business. We ended up securing more retail space following the strategy below.
Sales for women's Diesel watches had always been a small percentage of revenues. I saw an opportunity to create a cohesive women's assortment that leaned on the feminine side but kept the edgy Diesel DNA to grow the business. We ended up securing more retail space following the strategy below.
Research
My team carried out research on other in-house brands and we were able to pinpoint attributes like shape, color and size for the most successful styles. The direction was clear: the assortment was lacking round styles in the 34-40mm size range, bracelet offerings and rose gold tone with a core or more basic design.
My team carried out research on other in-house brands and we were able to pinpoint attributes like shape, color and size for the most successful styles. The direction was clear: the assortment was lacking round styles in the 34-40mm size range, bracelet offerings and rose gold tone with a core or more basic design.
First challenge
I had to make sure the assortment offered appropriate designs for both the Diesel loyalist and the general consumer without losing the brand’s identity. I structured development to follow 3 tiers of our potential female customer following the successful men's development tiers.
I had to make sure the assortment offered appropriate designs for both the Diesel loyalist and the general consumer without losing the brand’s identity. I structured development to follow 3 tiers of our potential female customer following the successful men's development tiers.
Second challenge
Distribution was severely limited to Japan and some online accounts. I proposed the following approach to the brand team:
- Focus on markets where Diesel women’s apparel/accessories represent a growing part of the business. Watches could ride this wave.
- Partner with key accounts that are growing and require more SKUs. Offering Ladies SKUs to key accounts would reduce the risk and serve as a test.
- Merchandise Ladies product where women actually shop. In some stores the Ladies styles were piled up with the men’s, losing impact and the female customer.
Distribution was severely limited to Japan and some online accounts. I proposed the following approach to the brand team:
- Focus on markets where Diesel women’s apparel/accessories represent a growing part of the business. Watches could ride this wave.
- Partner with key accounts that are growing and require more SKUs. Offering Ladies SKUs to key accounts would reduce the risk and serve as a test.
- Merchandise Ladies product where women actually shop. In some stores the Ladies styles were piled up with the men’s, losing impact and the female customer.
Third challenge
Women's product did not receive any marketing exposure or representation in internal buying documents. To make both the customer and the buyer aware that Diesel offered a compelling assortment for women I created specific lookbook feature shots for Ladies. I also included Ladies’ SKUs in appropriate seasonal stories, which allowed the marketing team to feature women’s product in ad shots.
Women's product did not receive any marketing exposure or representation in internal buying documents. To make both the customer and the buyer aware that Diesel offered a compelling assortment for women I created specific lookbook feature shots for Ladies. I also included Ladies’ SKUs in appropriate seasonal stories, which allowed the marketing team to feature women’s product in ad shots.