Diesel has taken men's shorts to a seriously tiny place, sending models down its Milan runway in denim designs so short and form-fitting that they appear closer to underwear than traditional shorts. The extreme pieces were part of Glenn Martens' Spring Summer 2027 collection, his final show for the Italian fashion label after six years at the creative helm.
The barely-there denim quickly became one of the most eye-catching parts of the collection, especially as social-media users reacted to images of the looks. Some commenters joked that the pieces resembled Daisy Dukes for men, while others questioned whether such tiny shorts could really work as everyday menswear.
Diesel Makes Shorts Almost Disappear
The micro shorts were not simply a random styling choice buried among dozens of looks. Diesel's own description of the collection specifically presents the finale as its 'most micro denim shorts imaginable', describing them as a manifesto for the party at the heart of the show.
@nssmagazine Take a look at the micro denim micro shorts that just hit the runway at the @Diesel SS27 #microshorts #denimshorts #diesel #DieselSS27
♬ DIE 25.04.25 - vandalism
The silhouettes were tight, extremely short and designed to reveal a large amount of the leg, creating the visual impression of denim underwear from certain angles. That dramatic proportion was part of Martens' wider approach to the collection, which mixed exposed skin, cut-outs, twisted shapes and heavily manipulated denim.
Men's Denim Gets a Barely-There Makeover
Denim remained the central material throughout the SS27 collection, but Martens treated it less like conventional jeans and more like something that could be reshaped almost endlessly. Diesel experimented with coated denim, laser treatments, trompe-l'oeil effects, slashes and hybrid garments, pushing familiar jeans far away from their usual form.
This is one of the ‘hottest’ new ‘trends’ for men according to Milan Fashion Week.
— Oli London (@OliLondonTV) September 23, 2026
Micro shorts for men. pic.twitter.com/3JIqlgVaag
The micro shorts therefore fit into a much bigger design idea rather than appearing on their own. They represented the final step in stripping denim down to its smallest possible silhouette, turning a familiar wardrobe staple into something far more revealing and deliberately provocative.
Social Media Notices the Tiny Silhouette
Images of the menswear looks prompted a wave of jokes and criticism online, with some commenters comparing the shorts to Daisy Dukes and others mocking their extremely small proportions. Those reactions are opinions from individual social-media users rather than evidence of a wider consensus about the collection.
Some comments also used offensive language about sexuality and gender, but those remarks do not establish anything about the people wearing the clothes or the intention behind the collection. The documented fact is simpler: Diesel presented highly revealing men's micro shorts as part of its SS27 runway show, and the unusual proportions became a talking point online.
What men? Faggots?
— rebaytard (@rebaytard) September 23, 2026
The Whole Show Was Built Around Excess
The tiny shorts arrived in a runway setting that was just as unconventional as the clothes. Diesel transformed the venue into a purpose-built club, while around 200 performers from Marseille-based collective (LA)HORDE were placed among the audience and interacted with guests during the presentation.
Red lighting, music and the performers helped create the feeling of an all-night party rather than a conventional fashion presentation. Martens described the collection as 'disruptive, sexy, fluid, fun', while Diesel framed the show around freedom, self-expression, pleasure and connection.
Ella Snyder Brings the Story Full Circle
There was also a surprisingly personal detail behind the final micro-denim look. Ella Snyder, who wore the opening look of Martens' first Diesel collection, returned to close his final show in the tiny denim shorts, creating a deliberate full-circle moment.
That made the revealing shorts more than just a viral runway image. They became part of Martens' farewell to Diesel, with the designer returning to the denim-focused spirit that defined much of his tenure and ending it with one of the most extreme versions of the material imaginable.
Martens Ends His Diesel Era in Denim
Martens' final collection arrived on 22 September 2026, marking the end of his six-year creative run at Diesel before he focuses on his role at Maison Margiela. His departure had already been announced ahead of the show, making the SS27 presentation a significant closing chapter for the designer and the brand.
And instead of ending quietly, Martens left with a collection that pushed Diesel's familiar denim identity into deliberately provocative territory. The result was a runway where men's shorts became so tiny that the distinction between denim shorts and underwear was almost impossible to ignore.
