Alberto Candiani, president of Candiani Denim, explains why Candiani decided to support the recent Genova Jeans event.
How did this project originate?
A year ago we started participating at a roundtable with the aim to give life this event’s edition number one. In the meantime various partnerships involving private, public and companies have been activated. Through them the city of Genoa could start telling that jeans are a Genoese and Italian piece of clothing.
Photo: Genova Jeans
From left: Diesel's Andrea Rosso, Eco-Age's Livia Firth, Candiani's Alberto Candiani and Simon Giuliani during Genova Jeans
What did Candiani do in practice for it?
We have prepared our installation “Behind The Seams: What You Think You Know About Your Jeans.” Through it, we provided educational tools analyzing how a pair of jeans is made. We literally explained what are its components and what processes are followed for producing it, but, most especially, we shared all the information for anyone to make the right choice when buying their next jeans, as too many people take that for granted. The truth is that nine out of ten people have no idea about what is behind a pair of jeans. We think that one has to see it to understand the difference of how a responsibly made jeans is produced it. Only by seeing and understanding that, one can see the difference, fall in love with a product and grow fond of it.
Photo: Genova Jeans
Candiani installation
Yes, we did. If there was any activity already happening a year ago in Genoa around this project, it was the activity from artists promoted by Ursula Casamonti of Arte Jeans when they presented a series of art pieces made with denim in the city, and it had met a fair success. This year we donated our fabric, a particular fabric with specific sustainable content, to these artists who interpreted it in a particular way.
Photo: Genova Jeans
Arte Jeans exhibition during Genova Jeans
I can’t say much about it, but it’s a good sign that there is the desire to continue it. We want to be part of it but it will surely be a cultural event, as we don’t want to participate in another trade show. It has to continue being a cultural initiative that explains the origins of denim and jeans, and their future. This is essential. I think that for next edition we will always focus more on innovation, and apart from tradition and heritage, we want to invest in innovation.
Outside of Genova Jeans, you also started a collaboration with Diesel through Coreva, your biodegradable and compostable stretch denim, didn’t you?
Yes, we did. Diesel has used one Coreva fabric for managing a capsule collection, but it will extend it in the next months. It is a particular fabric with a particular aspect–very much Diesel, I would say. This new collaboration is very interesting, as we started it with an Italian brand, and it marks a significant step ahead, especially from a brand like Diesel, also because it is involving it in designing sustainable jeans.
Photo: Diesel
Diesel jeans made with Candiani's Coreva denim
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