Adriano Goldschmied, the Italian designer widely regarded as the “godfather of denim,” died Sunday in Italy at the age of 82 following a battle with cancer. Behind iconic brands such as Diesel, Reply, Gap 1969, AG and Goldsign, Goldschmied leaves behind a legacy that transformed jeans from utilitarian workwear into a cornerstone of high fashion.

Goldschmied’s journey into fashion began in the early 1970s, when a friend encouraged him to sell imported jeans to crowds gathered outside a popular nightclub.

Operating his first store, King’s Shop, in the alpine resort town of Cortina d’Ampezzo, he catered to an international, affluent clientele seeking rare and distinctive fashion. His instinct for innovation quickly set him apart.

Goldschmied’s creative and entrepreneurial instincts led him to found the Genious Group in 1981, a collective that fostered emerging designers and helped launch influential brands such as Diesel and Replay. We offer our condolences to his family.