On the first day of Kingpins Amsterdam, on 15 April, Vivian Wang, CEO of the show, hosted a commemorative event dedicated to Adriano Goldschmied, her mentor and a great supporter of the event.

Wang welcomed on stage Adriano’s wife, Michela, and his three daughters—Sara, Marta, and Glenda—while a selection of the vast amount of pics and memories sent by his fans were sliding at their back.

Wang opened the simple and touching moment with some heartfelt words: “Getting to know Adriano didn’t just change the way I work. It changed the way I look at life. He spoke to everyone, no matter who you were. If he asked a question, he phrased it differently, but it was a way of saying, ‘I’m here to help you.’

For him, everything had to have a purpose. Everything he created had to have a purpose; every detail had to make sense. And that didn’t just apply to design projects. In fact, that’s how he created premium denim.

He saw beauty where others couldn’t, and he was able to create so much in a single lifetime—something that’s totally impossible for anyone else. And he was here to open doors for everyone.

And then there’s Kingpins. He used to say, ‘I won’t miss a single Kingpins.’ And he’ll do it again because he’ll always be here with us. 

He never stopped learning, nor did he ever stop being a student, because he was constantly asking questions and was always eager to learn.

And if he was here every time, it was thanks to you and your support. Thank you for sharing Adriano with us.”

Then, his eldest daughter, Sara, made her comment on behalf of the whole family sitting next to her. 

“Hello, everyone. Thank you to the entire denim community. My father wanted to be here at this Kingpins at all costs, and he made it with perfect timing. He wanted, in fact, for his ideas to continue to be here,” she started.

“He was a ‘wild spirit.’ He wanted to do things his own way because he was an adventurous hero. Every time he looked up with those bright, clear eyes of his, you could tell he’d had another brilliant idea, and every time, it was like he was on a spiritual mission.

He spoke respectfully to everyone and never refused to help anyone who asked for it.

We, his daughters, thought as children that his profession was that of a pilot because he was always traveling from one plane to another. Today we are proud of him because he always taught us to look beyond,” were some of the thoughts she expressed and left a mark on this special April’s day afternoon that the vast Kingpins community will not forget.