The Genius Group, the forerunner to Diesel was founded in 1978 by Renzo Russo and Adriano Goldschmied. The Diesel name brand, and of course, Diesel Watches, came a year or so later in 1979, and by 1985, Russo had bought out his partner, Goldschmied, and the other Genius Group partners to go it alone. It proved to be a smart move and he has never looked back. In a way, his business entrepreneurship all started with rabbits.
Renzo Russo grew up in Brugine, a town in the north east of Italy where he was born in 1955. He was 10 years old when he was given a rabbit as a gift, he decided to breed rabbits, and before long he had over 100 of the little furry animals scurrying around the small farm his family operated. By all accounts, this first business venture was a huge success, and perhaps it helped him set his sights on bigger things.
He attended a textile manufacturing school, the first of its kind in Italy, when he was 15. He graduated from the school and started to design his own style of clothes. In 1975 he started work at Moltex, a textile company local to his area. It was owned by his later to be partner, Adriano Goldschmied. The company specialised in making trousers and Russo was employed as production manager. Adriano Goldschmied wasn't impressed by Russo though and threatened to let him go. Russo agreed to go on commission and work for a reduced salary. He soon turned the company around, and then began thinking of setting up on how own.
He made a proposal to Adriano Goldschmied that they should form a partnership to promote new designer labels, and in 1978 the Genius Group came into being. They created a number of highly successful designer brands, such as Ten Big Boys, Katherine Hamnett, Goldie and Martin Guy. Russo also created one of his own: Diesel watch.
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