Throwback photos stir up laughs, memories and—for denim heads—a wealth of vintage denim inspiration. This weekly column on Rivet asks individuals in the denim industry to take a look back and reminisce about a denim moment in time captured on film.
This week, Paolo Gnutti, founder and CEO of the Italy-based denim weaver, PG Denim, takes a look back at a photo that shows him in a pair of raw jeans produced by his father’s denim company.
Now considered a “wizard” of denim, Gnutti began his career immediately upon graduating college, working in R&D at manufacturing company I.T.V. Denim. There, he adopted a philosophy that would become the foundation of his career: A good yarn, combined with the right spinning technique, makes high quality denim.
He worked there for close to 30 years before leaving in 2017 to start his own company, PG Denim, which is considered an industry leader of innovative and fashion-forward denim.
Paolo Gnutti, CEO of PG Denim
This photo was taken in 1978 when I was 10 years old. I was “driving” my very first motorcycle, a Rivara, and I was wearing a pair of raw denim jeans that held a great deal of significance.
In 1973, my father set up one of the first denim fabric companies in Italy, and he actually produced the pair of jeans that I’m wearing in this photo. On his way back from a business trip, he picked up this pair, as well as two others for my sisters.
That’s why I always say I grew up on bread and indigo—denim (and bread) was always such a big part of my life.
