Diesel Revs Up on Melrose

By Betsy Kroll

For its first West Coast flagship, Diesel has "gone Hollywood"--West Hollywood to be precise. Opening on eternally hip Melrose Place in May, the new ground-floor store, housed in a building dating back to 1896, is a departure from the traditional Diesel retail formula. Customers will enter the vast, windowless shop through large Gothic doors in the front or a cloud-festooned hallway that leads from the rear parking lot. Classic Diesel design aspects, such as the worn-in, vintage atmosphere of other locations, have been discarded in favor of unique lighting techniques and product displays. The stark cement floor gives way to a decorative metal-studded wood-marquetry design near the entrance. In addition, men's and women's clothing and accessories will be dedicated to the brand's most fashion-forward looks. But jeans devotees needn't worry: Diesel's signature denim bar will have a large presence, even stocking the elite Diesel Denim Gallery line. The service has also received a Los Angeles--style makeover: an in-store bar provides beverages to customers as they shop.