Designer Q & A - Adriano Goldschmied

This week's Designer Q & A is with denim legend Adriano Goldschmied currently working with Goldsign and Citizens of Humanity, having previously founded Diesel and AG Adriano Goldschmied.

1) Why do you think after 200 years jeans are still one of the most popular items of clothing?
Because in 200 years nobody has found anything better... The fact is that the jean has adapted itself to the need and the aesthetic of every single generation and has been re-invented hundreds of times with new looks and new ideas.

2) Denim is unusual as a product because despite being around for hundreds of years there has probably been more advancements in the last 5 years than ever before, why do you think that is?
We live in a period of time where everything is accelerated and is going faster and faster...The jean, too. The innovation in denim is tremendous and the consumers are asking for new things at a growing speed. We are able to respond properly to this, but it is a little bit crazy...However, I love it, it is a new challenge every day.

3) You are famous for having started many successful denim companies, what is the secret of your success?
At the end I think it is my passion for jeans. I love to design and to make new things that have not been done before. Every project and every brand was designed as a totally new concept and the consumers probably recognized that originality.

4) In the last 10 years the marketplace has become more saturated than ever before, how do you ensure that your jeans stand out against the competition.
It is not only the jean that has become saturated; I would say it is every segment of the industry. The only way to stand out is to be innovative and design a product that the consumers feel they need to have. In addition, all the different aspects of the brand image are connected and becoming more a part of the product. We need to make sure that we give the consumer a good feeling, as fashion is not only about the design, but also about branding.

5) What are you working on at the moment?
Goldsign and Citizens of Humanity men's.

6) Where do you get your inspiration from?
For me there are absolutely no rules. It's everything - a movie, people on the streets, a book, traveling, a flea market, a conversation, a concert. I would say that everything can be inspiring and interesting, it depends a lot from the eye, and the feeling that you have in that particular moment.

7) Are there any essential jeans that every woman should have in their wardrobe?
No, the jean changes all the time, it is more about the memories and what a particular jean means to you.

8) What are the first pair of jeans you remember?
A corduroy Lee jean

9) What have been your favourite pair of jeans that you have produced and why?
My favorite jean is probably the one that I will design tomorrow. I don't give importance to the past; it is the future that counts.

10) Which is your favourite jeans shop?
A flea market.

Kate Middleton in Goldsign Passion in Habit

11) You are on record as saying that the time has come for the denim industry to start acting responsibly, can you explain what you would like to see happening
I hate to know that we have to pay an eco-price when we produce a pair of jean. I think that we have to be more responsible to properly manage all processes of making a jean in terms of sustainability and social morality.

12) Are there any new manufacturing/finishing technologies that you are excited about
Of course, the Ozone and Laser and all the technologies that reduce the use of chemicals and the use of water and energy as they are healthier for the workers and the economy. But more than this, I am interested in the new cellulosic fibers that are man-made and can reduce the use of cotton. This will have a tremendous positive effect, while allowing more land to be used to grow food, which should be the priority.

13) The global market is changing with the developing world (India, Asia) becoming more important. How does this affect the way you design a collection?
I think that design is already global, what is completely changing is the nature of the business.

14) What big changes are you expecting to see in the denim world in the next 5 years.
All the projects connected with sustainability are becoming a major point of interest. But the changes will be more in the way we operate.

15) LA is the capital of denim and also the capital of celebrity. How do you view the way in which celebrity and media have become intertwined in the marketing of denim.
Celebrities are the global ambassadors of our denim and they have a tremendous power in creating a trend...unfortunately they sometimes count even more then the product itself. But I see signs of change; social media is giving a lot of power to the "non celebrities" with good and fresh ideas. I see that things are not only being promoted from the top to the bottom, but also the other way around. The oligarchy of celebrities is giving opening up to a new democracy.

16) How important big an effect does it have on your sales when a celeb is seen wearing a pair of your jeans?
We recently had a media tsunami...Kate Middleton (shown above) was wearing Goldsign "Passion" jeans in Habit on her recent North American tour. Our sales on that style tripled (and are now back-ordered) and our website traffic increased ten-fold in a matter of hours. Not to mention credits in People. UsWeekly, The New York Times, Hello! and more.

17) Which person (living or dead) would you most like to see wearing a pair of your jeans?
Ernest Hemingway.

18) You have achieved so much in the latest 30 years, what keeps you so passionate and what is there left to achieve for you?
I create my new goals and my new projects and I have the same passion that I had the first day of work to make them happen. Sustainability and continuous innovation in design are the things that I keep working on. In addition, I have a passion for teaching and creating teams with the same enthusiasm for denim and fashion.

AndyK: 27/07/11