Denim Head Threads: Inside Officina+39’s Juan Manuel Gomez’s Denim Wardrobe
Individuals in the denim industry are focused on making goods that wind up in other people’s wardrobes, but how do they curate their own closets? This series offers an inside look into the personal style and shopping behavior of the people behind jeans.
For Officina+39’s creative leader Juan Manuel Gomez, art and denim go hand-in-hand. The Colombian creative leads design for the Italian-based sustainable chemical developer, and he has also used denim as a form of expression in collaborations with denim laundry Tonello and his fellow artist friend Ian Berry.
Read on to hear about Juan Manuel’s style heroes and how he looks at denim like music.
Carved in Blue: Describe your (denim) personal style.
Juan Manuel: Passion blue soul: denim like a canvas, for dress or for play, like a good song.
Carved in Blue: What’s your preferred cut for denim? What do you like about it?
Juan Manuel: I prefer a vintage slim fit—not too tight, especially if they fit good, then a belt is not needed. They’re comfortable for work, to paint, travel or have dinner.
Carved in Blue: Who is your denim style icon?
Juan Manuel: Denim style from Italian laundry masters. They don’t need to show too much; they are low-profile, full of knowledge and histories about the golden period of denim in Italy. They love denim and washing, of course, and always have an iconic garment at the back of the car or use it for work—regular fit, classic five-pockets with nice whiskers, worn, used and extra spots or repairs.
Carved in Blue: What’s the oldest pair that’s still in rotation?
Juan Manuel: I have an outfit—black denim pants and jacket from Candiani Reserve—that I’ve been using since 2018 like my second skin, because the fit is so comfortable and versatile. I bought it at New York Denim Days, where Candiani mill launched these amazing limited-edition garments made by Matias (@matias.co_). As they say about the fabric, it’s “a clean, raw black denim that will not fade easily,” and it’s true. But I’m doing my best to use it until the back turns blue.
Carved in Blue: What does Carved in Blue mean to you?
Juan Manuel: When I listen and see the word “carved,” immediately it makes me think of someone going deeper with his blue hands on the ground searching, exploring or collecting treasures to share with a community, like an archeologist. In a duty: a blue duty.