New OTB headquarters opened in Shanghai

The Italian brand Diesel came to China twenty years ago. Last Thursday it celebrated this anniversary with the opening of a new headquarters of the parent company OTB SpA in Shanghai and a lecture by founder Renzo Rosso at Donghua University.

These initiatives underline the importance of the Chinese market for OTB. The group now employs 900 people in China, Hong Kong and Macao and operates around 100 stores there.

Diesel founder Renzo Rosso: China is “a source of inspiration”

In addition to Renzo Rosso, Chairman of the OTB Group, Tiziana D’Angelo, the Italian Consul General in Shanghai, also took part in the opening ceremony of the new headquarters. Also present were representatives of the Shanghai city government and the press.

The new regional headquarters is located in the Lee Gardens Building in the heart of Jing’an District and overlooks the scenic Suzhou Creek. The area has been doubled compared to the previous location. The location and the expansion underline the group’s intention to strengthen its roots in China. In addition, the team should be offered more modern and functional working conditions and relationships with local partners should be strengthened.

According to a statement, Rosso gave a lecture to students at Donghua University. The university is a leading design and fashion school in Asia. The event was organized under the auspices of the Consulate General of Italy, the Camera Nazionale della Moda Italiana, Altagamma, the Italian Trade Agency and the Italian Cultural Institute.

“The meeting was aimed at students from various universities and fashion schools in the city. It underlines the ongoing commitment of OTB and the Chairman to promote young talent. Entrepreneurial and creative experiences are shared and a direct relationship is established with the new generations,” the statement said.

Renzo Rosso underlined the importance of the country: “China is a country with a unique energy. Every time I return here, I am fascinated by its rhythm, its creativity and its speed. For our group, China is not only a strategic market, but also an inexhaustible source of inspiration,” he explained. “Over the last twenty years, we have increased the presence of our brands and built an authentic dialogue with the new generations who share the values ​​of our brands. Our philosophy is to work with local communities to combine the brands’ know-how with the local mindset.”

“The inauguration of the new headquarters in Shanghai, the meeting with young talents at Donghua University and the celebration of twenty years of Diesel are a special moment for me and the OTB Group,” emphasized Rosso. “This underlines the importance of China, a country with exceptional culture, history and modernity, in which we will continue to invest in the future.”

The group has already supported numerous initiatives and collaborations between its brands and local designers, artists and communities in China. These include the “Marni Miao” project, which celebrated the elegance and complexity of embroidery by reinterpreting the codes of the Miao minority in a contemporary way.

Diesel has already created several capsule collections in collaboration with Chinese designers such as Xander Zhou and Pronounce, as well as with celebrities such as William Chan and Chris Lee. Maison Margiela brought its experimental vision into dialogue with the country’s contemporary art and culture through new retail formats, pop-ups, installations and initiatives in various cities. MM6 Maison Margiela has also already collaborated with designer Chen Peng.