![Misopolis [main and above]: Images from the hoax campaign have been designed to mimic past Diesel marketing material.](http://yaffa-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com/ragtrader/images/dmImage/StandardImage/Misopolis - midsize.jpg)
A global smear campaign implicating iconic streetwear brand Diesel caused commotion last week, but the local distributor of the brand in Australia has dismissed its impact on home ground.
The fake campaign, allegedly devised by non-profit organisations Women on Waves and Women on Web, was sent to media worldwide on Monday February 6, and linked back to a website using the Diesel name – www.dieselforwomen.
The site, including press material and social media profiles, featured information and racy campaign images to spruik a fake campaign called "Misopolis", with topics focused on abortion and women’s rights.
In addition, the press release sent out to media as part of the hoax campaign also suggested that female factory workers were exploited by the garment industry, and as such should be given the right to safe medical abortions.
Despite Diesel having no association to the campaign, the images and branding for "Misopolis" are strikingly similar to the style and font used in official Diesel campaigns, such as the most recently released “Diesel Island”.
In response, the Diesel head office in Italy has issued a statement regarding the Misopolis campaign and said that it is advertising and promoting a fake campaign under Diesel’s name.
“Diesel S.p.A declares to have absolutely no involvement in “www.dieselforwomen” site and this campaign, and is currently investigating to clear responsibilities.”
Diesel Australia marketing manager Leanne Wall also confirmed to Ragtrader that Diesel Italy will be taking legal action against the creators of the Misopolis campaign.
“Diesel Italy is taking legal action and therefore we cannot comment further,” she said.
However, Wall said she does not believe the fake campaign and the media furore surrounding its inception will affect Australian sales of the Diesel brand.
“It is clearly a PR stunt to create a shock factor, however the Diesel customer is smart enough to see through it and therefore we do not believe it will cause any damage to the brand or sales in Australia,” she said.
Women on Waves has also since issued the statement below admitting to the hoax campaign and slamming fashion brands, such as Diesel for alleged mistreatment of its female factory workers:
“A new initiative by fashion brand Diesel to improve working conditions and to provide free abortion pills to its female factory workers could have been an appropriate gesture by Diesel. Diesel is one of the fashion brands that uses production factories that refuse to pay a living wage to their workers, violates their human rights and forces them to work in dangerous and unhealthy conditions.”