The twins run our family farm, Quinto Sapore, in Umbria, Italy, where I live. They are also “sustainability geeks.” Alessandro and Nicola follow organic, regenerative and biodynamic principles to develop agroforestry, EM techniques (utilizing beneficial microorganisms to improve soil, improve water quality and promote plant growth) and bio Charcoal (a type of charcoal produced from organic materials and used to improve soil fertility and carbon sequestration). When Alberto talked about growing cotton using Coleba as fertilizer, Alessandro and Nicola immediately started making plans, and together he came up with a challenge that seemed like something out of science fiction. “Do you think we can use what we wear to grow what we eat?”
Fast forward to April 2023, and Alberto, Simon Giuliani (Candiani's global marketing director and another sustainability nerd), my brother, and I are on our hands and knees on a farm planting scraps of denim and tomato seeds deep into the earth. I am. soil. All we could talk about was our quest to explore whether fashion and agriculture can be connected outside of the typical linear model. Can we prove that waste in fashion doesn't necessarily have to be “waste”? Can we create fashion that doesn't harm the environment and use it to grow nutritious food?
Spring has turned into summer. The plants have sprouted. The vines have produced beautiful tomatoes. Ars Chimica Lab tested the soil before planting, when the tomatoes were growing, and in the fall after harvest. The results showed that the denim waste was completely decomposed and there was no change in soil health, chemical composition, or microorganisms. In fact, soil moisture levels have increased. This project was not only a success, but also a victory. We used tomatoes to make a delicious sauce, poured it over pasta, and proudly ate it together around the table.
A few days later, I had a Zoom call with Amber and members of the Green Carpet Fashion Awards advisory board to talk about Coleba jeans, tomatoes, and the food this small group enjoyed. In her signature beautiful, open-minded style, Amber announced that she wanted to one day wear the “first ever dress that people can eat.” Triarchy had been using Coreva for a while, so she immediately called Adam Taubenfligel, the co-founder of Triarchy Jeans and the final character in this story. I wanted to see if he liked it. Without hesitation, he agreed to design a stunning denim tuxedo short dress for Amber. As Mark Holgate, Director of Fashion News at Condé Nast, put it, “Amber's Valletta Green Carpet Fashion Awards look was a game-changer for denim and for all of us.” is now history. Whether this happens depends largely on whether the fashion industry has the courage to make the systemic changes we know are necessary. But if a few people can come together and figuratively and literally create such a vision, what happens when two of the most powerful industries, fashion and agriculture, decide to join hands and truly collaborate? Imagine that. As my brother Alessandro says, “If we make products using natural fibers, if we return those natural fibers to the soil at the end of their lifecycle, and if we encourage farmers to use more regenerative techniques, we can reduce the problems we face.'' Some of the biggest problems in the fashion and agriculture industries could be solved. ”
To leaders in these industries: The choice is yours. This tomato sauce pasta is likely to be something only a few people around the table will enjoy. Or it could be something served in kitchens and restaurants around the world. Meanwhile, Alessandro, Nicola and Alberto are planning their assignments this summer. I can't wait to see what you make next.
Originally published in Vogue Arabia April 2024 issue