Indigo Icons: Cristian Murianni, a true denim enthousiast The - Denim Première Vision
Preserving the denim heritage
In 2019, Cristian Murianni founded the Denim Institute Milano, an educational structure aiming to pass down denim tradition to new generation of designers.
Co-owner of Union Fade Store, a vintage shop near Milan Central Station, Cristian is what you can call a true denim lover. On May 31 & June 1 in Berlin, during the next Denim PV show, he will bring his passion to the revival of the Première Vintage Market, a space designed to inspire visitors with iconic pieces from the past.
We met him ahead of the show to better understand where his passion for denim comes from.
Interview with Cristian Murianni, Co-owner & director of Union Fade Store and Director & founder of Denim Institute Milano
Première Vision: What sparked your passion for denim, and how do you explain its unassailable success today still?
Cristian Murianni: “I have always had a special interest in denim, my mother was a seamstress and she patched me up and made my denim clothes, so I was born in the fashion while denim become soon a central element in my life. At 12 I made a look book for Wrangler and over the years I have always worn jeans, experimenting directly on the canvas. Denim is a never ending story because it is a simple element that can be used for many needs and thank to his iconic history everybody recognize denim as a brand.”
“Denim doesn’t have a unique face, it can adapt to every historic period and to all generations with continuous new forms and a contemporary attitude.”
– Cristian Murianni
PV: Where do you see denim heading in the next few years, especially in terms of sustainability?
Cristian Murianni: “From my point of view, young people’s trends will tend to rediscover past styles by mixing new ideas with vintage garments and the next upcoming trend will be the very fun and edgy 70s. One of the key sustainable element for denim is and will be the reuse of already existing garments alongside the customization and personalization of the garment. But on the other side the increase of production is a key fact considering the growing number of people on the planet.
In that sense it’s more and more important to rethink the production from an ethic perspective using all the best practices that are today available to reduce the footprint. The new regulations will support this process and education is a key factor too. That’s why in 2024 we will restart with the courses of the Denim Institute in Milano. With our new partners we will redesign the school program according to the actual and future needs helping the industry to prepare skilled technicians and the end consumers to appreciate denim.”
PV: What is the story behind your shop Union Fade Store in Milan?
Cristian Murianni: “The whole meaning of the store lies in the name Union Fade which derives from Union Made, which perfectly reflects my origins as the son of a trade unionist in the 70s. Never forget that this fabric represents the working class in its use. Union Fade goes straight to the heart of true fans of the history of vintage clothing. Thanks to the experience with Première Vintage Market, I realized the importance for the denim communities to have the chance to source historical pieces with a value and thanks to our knowledge we are able to provide this service.”
PV: How will you choose the pieces that you will show on the Denim Première Vintage space and overall, what would you like visitors to remember from this new edition of Denim PV in Berlin?
Cristian Murianni: “The adventure with Denim PV is a journey that never stopped and that was born about ten years ago. Today the goal with Fabio (Fabio Adami Dalla Val – Denim PV show manager) is to transfer know-how and product sensibilty through vintage garments that represent historical periods and stimulate the creativity of those who will come to visit us. For the Berlin edition we will focus on the 70’s and we will also bring pictures of us from that period which will reflect our selection of garments. The seventies are coming back!“
Join us on May 31 & June 1 at Denim Première Vision Berlin to meet with Cristian in person, discover her most iconic pieces and enjoy a deep dive into the world of denim!