We're not sure what the dynamic is between Sophia Kokosalaki and Renzo Rosso is but it is clear that Kokosalaki's current post as designer of the Diesel Black Gold collection has made her more in touch with her own wild side. From her own collections, we have come to expect pure and raw beauty attuned to her own Grecian roots. For Diesel however, it was a case of letting her hair down and realising that the Diesel customer is young, fun and wanting to look sexy, but not obviously so. The collection was tuned into the street style favourites that were all given Kokosalaki's own touches of elevated embellishment. Leather dresses were given a twist by incorporating a denim lower. Pale denim was updated with a delicate black sheer tunic dress. Quilted leather jackets are reinforced with the rock n' roll hand-painted art on the back. Ripped sweaters and shirts have re-attached slashes with worked-in hammer nails. This season's Diesel Black Gold girl is somehow getting away with the rock n' roll sartorial cliches, which is all down to Kokosalaki's deftness.

Dazed Digital: It really seems like an 'edgier' side of you has come out in this collection.
Sophia Kokosalaki: With me, it's two things really... being Greek and then living in London and observing young kids and their style. So it's a good marriage. For Diesel Black Gold, I brought more of that young style and then left the Greek behind! I considered what the brand is - it's about street style, it's a bit tough, a bit of sexiness, but then I do sexy in my way so that there's a real assertiveness.

DD: The sexy definitely wasn't too obvious.
Sophia Kokosalaki: It's not the weak-type sex that is desperate! Whenever I do sexy, I try to elevate the garment by putting some technique or craftsmanship onto it, which implies quality. On this occasion, I used the yarn of the denim in the embroidery. Also, I made this fabric that looks like patchwork but it is actually one fabric. I don't really care whether the customer knows about how much research has gone into these things. When you buy things, you don't really need to explain why, you just love it.

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