The Blue Talk
Cristiano Caucci, in love with Tela Genova
BY MARCO POLI, The TSL Gazette, Giugno 2024
A chat with Cristiano Caucci, today at the helm of the brand, whose name refers to the origin of the workwear canvas that has become the most widespread and cherished fabric in the world.
Cristiano, you declared: “I like to consider myself the first customer of the brand, this perspective greatly helps the entire creative process.” Working on a brand with such a solid heritage, how can you make your stylistic contribution, while remaining true its trademark DNA?
A man evolves in his life, needs change, life is an unceasing experience, incessant growth. The same goes for a Brand: stylistic upgrades are gradual and constant. As long as you keep upholding your values, you will not jeopardize the brand identity.
As a modern-day customer, what do you look for in a pair of jeans?
My ideal jeans are regular, unwashed, strictly selvedge. It’s no coincidence that our most iconic and best-selling garments are the rinse wash from the Four Seasons capsule. Jeans must be 100% cotton, uncompromising, resistant and comfortable, and must allow frequent use without resorting to repeated washing due to odours or loss of shape. To achieve this the answer is simple: quality material.
When your family handed you “the keys” to the brand in 2010, were you given carte blanche regarding the transition and evolution towards a “new era” of Tela Genova, or did you receive specific recommendations?
Even though the acquisition dates back to 2010, the relaunch was completed in 2014. Initially I was against taking the reins of a new project because at that time I was already very busy on other fronts. It was my father who believed in it first. Without his fifty years’ experience and keen passion for denim, even today I would not have fallen in love with it to the point of establishing such a strong bond with this brand.
Which fabric, among the top quality ones you select, best represents the soul of the collection? What are its characteristics?
Kuroki’s deep blue, 100% selvedge 14oz. A high-density combed fabric that retains its distinctive retro look, made with a semi-automatic shuttle loom. To this very day, it remains my favourite. However, over time we have managed to achieve such a balance that each material proposed in the different product categories speaks the same language and stands out owing to its own originality and authenticity.
Does Tela Genova convey an urban lifestyle, or do the workwear, military and navy styles prevail today?
I would say that the answer lies in the mix, workwear is back in fashion, all the menswear collections are contaminated by it. Today Tela Genova’s style is global, while staying “no global”, if you forgive my pun. I mean, we are not a mainstream product.
In your work, do you draw from a historical archive of images and textile samples? What identifies the mood of your garments? A seam, a rivet, a detail …?
This is the job of our creative team, I’m the first customer not the designer. Let’s go back to the importance of our roots and our family’s 50 years’ experience in jeans production. Personal archives, vintage archives, flea markets, research in the digital field. I’d say that what matters the most today is not so much how we look for inspiration, but having a clear idea of what we are aiming for.
In a complex industrial organization, in which technology makes the difference, what’s the role of craftsmanship in lending authenticity and value to the garments of Tela Genova?
This is a crucial and one of the most challenging aspects. We often struggle to combine the desire for craftsmanship, the features of materials from the past with the techniques and needs of industrial production. But we persist with passion and determination until we achieve the best outcome. Experimentation is unrelenting.
Sustainability and circular economy are paramount at Tela Genova. Please, exemplify your mantra to us: “Produce less, produce better”.
I’ll explain that through one product. At Pitti Uomo upcoming edition, we are going to showcase two limited edition “10-years celebratory denim” items. This means that we are proposing a limited number – for a small group of retailers (who believed in us 10 years ago)- of unwashed jeans with the same characteristics as the one we started this adventure with. These jeans do not need to be washed, I have personally worn a pair for 18 months, and have dry-cleaned them no more than 4 or 5 times. Therefore, they have never consumed water, they have never needed to be replaced, they have never been ruined, except for the natural wear and tear caused by body movements.
I believe that talking about sustainability by including certifications and regulations, while keeping adopting policies aimed at increasing productivity and growth, is the wrong path.
Wouldn’t it be simpler and “healthier” to upgrade the quality of products, thereby reducing consumption and waste?
