MILAN — Italian apparel and retail chain OVS has entered a long-term partnership with denim veteran Adriano Goldschmied, tasked with advancing the denim product category with forward-looking fashion and sustainability credentials.

The collaboration unveiled Tuesday here officially kicks off with the autumn 2023 season, which comes with an Italian exclusive secured by OVS on using Turkish supplier Crescent Bahümán’s Blue Infinity, a new-gen dyeing compound replacing indigo and allowing a 62 percent reduction in water consumption, in addition to a major cutback on energy use and carbon dioxide emissions. The exclusive rights on the compound extend to the spring 2024 collection.

OVS chief executive officer Stefano Beraldo highlighted that the corporate sells around 6 million denim pieces a yr, suggesting that the category holds strategic relevance for the corporate. Also, its environmental impact can’t be neglected.

The Italian retailer — which scored the fourth spot within the recently issued Circular Fashion Index 2023 of brands most committed to circularity compiled by Kearney — has been upping the ante on sustainability since a number of years now, for instance sourcing all of its cotton from recycled and organic sources, or grown based on the Higher Cotton Standard.

Overall, it has pledged to chop its carbon footprint by 46.2 percent by 2030, a goal recognized by the Science Based Targets Initiative.

“Three years ago as I used to be pondering the acceleration of the denim business, aiming to turn out to be a pacesetter in denimwear not only when it comes to volumes of sold goods but in addition from a top quality standpoint, my ambition was to [be able to] offer the very best 6 million [denim] garments possible,” Beraldo offered.

Goldschmied was hard to persuade, he admitted, but was impressed by OVS’ supply chain and its eco mindset and operations.

“I wanted to ascertain myself on the OVS sustainability strategy,” Goldschmied explained. “I believe no consumer on the earth would ask for essentially the most sustainable product on offer when entering a store. Sustainability must be marketing, it just must be embedded in products which might be good-looking and modern and relevant because the hit the retail floor,” he said.

The pair highlighted that the project isn’t only a capsule collection.

As a part of the long-term agreement, Goldschmied consults on the entire denimwear category for OVS, pushing the sustainability agenda forward — as in using Blue Infinity — but in addition ensuring standard practices have green cred.

OVS had already banned using permanganate in 2019 and replaced handmade distress techniques with safer options, including laser treatments and using biodegradable enzymes.

“OVS was the proper vehicle because its volumes are so impactful per se when it comes to energy and water consumption, processes and collection of fibers,” Goldschmied said.

The denim veteran was tasked with updating the offering, adding more suits and coverings including cargo jeans, culotte pants and pleated, wide-legged options for ladies and selvedge five-pocket styles for men, amongst others.

“It’s also about advancing OVS’ vision fashion-wise, drawing opinionated clients in search of fashion-driven suits and finishes. It’s an awesome moment historically as denimwear has several trendy options,” Goldschmied said.

The primary collection overseen by Goldschmied hits OVS stores in September, with prices ranging below 50 euros.

The partnership with Goldschmied isn’t unusual for OVS, which tapped Massimo Piombo in 2018 as its creative director overseeing all of the retailer’s lines in addition to the stores’ interior concepts.