Renzo Rosso created the Diesel brand in 1978 with help from his former boss and a number of business partners. The company has grown extraordinarily over the past three decades to become one of the biggest fashion labels in the world with sales revenues well over a billion Euros. A number of key acquisitions and decisions from the owner have resulted in the overwhelming success.

The original company was founded with group backing but in 1985 Rosso bought out the other founding partners to assume full control. He hired fresh out of college Wilbert Das who turned the brand into the multinational behemoth it is today. Das rose quickly in the company and became the creative force behind the clothing lines and marketing strategies that proved to be successful.

Das co-created the international marketing strategy that would send the brand across the globe from its modest Italian roots to an international super brand. The strategy launched in 1991 and was extremely successful. Due to a number of innovations the company grew quickly and established a flagship store in New York City in 1996 on Lexington Avenue.

In 2007 the company began to expand its ranges with a number of new product offerings. An intimated and beachwear range for both men and women was launched and is carried in both department stores and Diesel retail stores. Diesel Black Gold was also announced in the same year. The company has also been involved with a number of collaborations with other well known brands, producing fragrances and jewellery.

The brand grew significantly through the successful expansion strategies created by both Rosso and Das and the company now has over 2,200 employees through its 18 subsidiaries in Europe, Asia and the Americas. The brand's product ranges are now sold in over 5000 retail outlets including 300 Diesel owned stores helping to produce a sales revenue of over 1.3 billion Euros.