Kingpins transformers

With her shock of trademark red hair, Adriana is hard to miss in the sea of blue that is the denim industry. But her ideas about denim’s role in innovation and how the jeans industry must focus not on being “less bad” but rather on actually being “good” for the environment stand out even more. In her role as Denim & Sustainability Expert at G-Star, Adriana focuses on implementing her radical ideas.

+ How do you define innovation?

It’s a mindset and an evolutionary process. When it comes to G-Star RAW, innovation is in the core of its DNA. When we design, we design for the future; not only in how our products look, but also the wider impact they have. If we still want to be here as a denim brand in 20, 50 or even 100 years, it is crucial for us to think innovatively about the impact we have on people and the planet.

+ Who is an innovation leader outside of the denim/garment industry and why do you find them inspiring?

The architect William McDonough and the chemist Dr. Michael Braungart – because they call upon the new industrial revolution to be grounded in the belief that in our designs, just as with nature, we should be good instead of being less bad.

+ If there’s one book book we should read related to innovation, which one would be on top of your reading list and why?

For sure Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things by William McDonough and Dr. Michael Braungart. Cradle to Cradle philosophy is inspired by the fact that nature is abundant and at the same time doesn’t produce any waste. It’s about circularity, where waste is equal to food. In the Cradle to Cradle realm we are looking at the product design from a material health perspective, water stewardship, social awareness, material reutilization and use of renewable energies. Considering most of the goods across various industries are built upon cradle to grave scenarios from which we are all now facing the consequences, to me Cradle to Cradle philosophy represents an ultimate alternative for going forward.