Some stories begin like this, with dreams that dawn turns into reality. Andrea Rambaldi carried in his eyes the colors of a London sunrise: glimpses of misty pale blue, the black of night giving way to strokes of pink. That sunrise, one of the most visionary designers the world has seen in the past fifty years wanted on a pair of jeans for his collection. Of course, not gardening jeans—but it is well established that these pants have become icons of luxury fashion.

Rambaldi knew a great deal about dyeing, washing, and transforming denim into the boldest fantasies: the son of a seamstress and a dyer, he had grown up working in the field. And that sunrise, like an artist, he put on canvas. It was 2008. Today, his company—with 75 employees, three locations all in the Padua area, and 50,000 high-end garments produced each year—is a point of reference for the most prestigious brands. Design offices send their drawings, sketches, or even just inspirations here; Rambaldi and his collaborators bring them to life.

Glass effects, feathers, cuts, rips, resewn tears and cuts; fluorescent stains, floral prints, fading, or hundreds of tiny fabric fragments applied: every piece is handcrafted, and behind each garment are hours of work and years of passion. It starts with denim, and then the know-how of Made in Italy transforms it into art.