Indigo blue is a color that has accompanied the history of humanity and touches each of our lives.

Have you ever considered its significance? This thought arises because, undoubtedly, jeans form a staple in our wardrobes. But how did we establish this connection?

Indigo is not just a color; it embodies its own codes and a narrative that spans centuries. Once a mysterious pigment, indigo’s allure persists even after its secrets were unraveled. Fabrics emerge yellow from dye vats and turn blue upon exposure to air, a magical transformation explained by science that has endowed indigo with a universal and timeless appeal.

Derived from the Greek indikon, meaning ‘Indian substance,’ indigo primarily comes from the Indigofera tinctoria, among many plant varieties across regions like Egypt, the Middle East, and America. Known to Chinese and Egyptians for thousands of years, its use in India dates to 600 BC. Indigo reached Europe through the Arabian Peninsula; its popularity was bolstered by the maritime routes to India.

Indigo’s meanings are manifold, historically associated with power, infinity, magic, and transformation. Over time, these concepts have expanded, informed by studies, perceptions, and emotions.

In the 18th century, France led the expansion of indigo in textile applications. By the next century, its significance had grown to the point where indigo was synthetically produced around 1880. This development coincided with the creation of denim, a durable fabric for workwear developed by Levi Strauss.

Jeans, synonymous with durability, irreverence, rebellion, and freedom, span the 20th and 21st centuries, creating a unique legacy. Its ability to continually reinvent, never exhausting the myriad of creative possibilities, underscores its protagonism and versatility. Jeans’ democratization is closely tied to the global passion for their use.

The Levi’s 501, more than just a model of jeans, serves as a vessel for countless stories over its 150 years. To celebrate this milestone, the campaign “The Greatest Story Ever Told” was launched, featuring British artist Ian Berry, a pioneer in using jeans for over two decades. He was invited to create a special masterpiece for Fuorisalone 2023: a 10m x 6m panel made from 501 recycled collages. A spectacle that I share here.

This expansive blue panel serves as a reminder of indigo’s strength, its association with jeans, and its status as a fashion icon, showcasing its timeless appeal across various movements, uses, and meanings. The indigo universe, present in countless brands, continues to shape history. Its versatility expressed through clothing, accessories, and decor highlights its widespread application and the diverse creations it inspires. Among these creations, artist Nao Yuasa transforms natural dyeing processes into true artistic jewels.

Indigo’s importance and versatility extend to its presence in the new Dell Anno collection, emphasizing the color’s role in contemporary lifestyles in fashion and design.

Whether in work, home, or fashion, indigo blue personalizes style, seamlessly blending fashion and design into a natural extension of our lifestyle.

This millennia-old color, through countless creations and applications, continues to renew its meanings and presence, captivating us with its beauty, whether through the emotional memories it evokes or its innovative and ever-evolving forms.

Eternal in its journey always moving forward, the Indigo Blue intertwines with our own lives and shows the strength of an infinite future.

“Blue is the deepest of colors, the gaze penetrates it without encountering obstacles and is lost in infinity. It is the very color of infinity and the mysteries of the soul.” Israel Pedrosa