The Legacy of Adriano, and the Uncertain Future of the UHR

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Goodnight, Godfather—and Possibly Goodbye to Iron Heart’s Shrink-to-Fit Selvedge

Last Sunday, the denim world lost one of its pioneers: Adriano Goldschmied has passed away.

Next week, I’ll be at Kingpins in Amsterdam. It will be the first time there without him. Things are going to feel different, I’m sure I won’t be the only one feeling it.

Honouring Adriano’s memory, in this DH Weekly, I’m sharing an interview with him that was originally written for and published in my first book, Blue Blooded, to give you a sense of his tremendous importance in the world of denim.

And there’s more bad news this week: Iron Heart’s Ultra Heavy Raw denim—the UHR—is very likely to go extinct.

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A Different Way to Think About Denim

He was known as the godfather of denim—not because he preserved tradition, but because he changed what denim could be.

He co-founded Diesel, and built brands like Replay, AG and Agolde. More importantly, he pushed denim beyond its original role—into something designed, washed, treated, and continuously rethought.

I didn’t know him that well, but I met him several times over the years. Most recently, almost exactly a year ago at Kingpins in Amsterdam, where I showed him a prototype of my first Weirloom jeans.

True to form, he was encouraging—but also precise. A suggestion here, a detail there. Always constructive. Always about making the product better.

That mindset—curiosity, craftsmanship, and always pushing forward—is a big part of the legacy he leaves behind. The full interview from Blue Blooded gives a sense of how he thought about denim.

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The UHR Is Back, But Might Be Gone For Good

There’s another sad story this week. Iron Heart just restocked their Ultra Heavy Raw (UHR) selvedge—and at the same time shared that production may be coming to an end.

The fabric is woven by a tiny, family-run mill with just two looms. That setup has always limited supply, but now it sounds like it may no longer be viable. After more than 15 years in the lineup, this could be the final run.

This isn’t just another heavyweight denim.

UHR is the only true raw, unsanforised denim Iron Heart makes. It starts around 21 oz., and shrinks to roughly 23 oz.—not something you mess around with. It behaves differently. Feels different. And for a lot of people, it’s been the benchmark for heavyweight raw denim.

Many sizes are already gone at Iron Heart’s own site, but a few of their retailers have some stock left, including Franklin & Poe.

Looking for alternatives to the UHR? There’s nothing quite like it, but you can find other great shrink-to-fit selvedge jeans in this guide.

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Gustin’s Very Pink Salmon Selvedge

After all this—here’s something to put a smile on your face: Gustin has brought back their Salmon Selvedge.

It’s a little crazy. A little outrageous. And that’s the point, I guess.

13.5 oz. denim with slubby yarns and a proper raw feel—but in a pale pink colour that sits way outside what most people would normally wear.

It’s not trying to replace your usual pair. It’s just something different. Something fun. And on a week like this, that’s not a bad thing.

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Looking for a Deal? I’ve Updated the Sales Guide

Most of what we talk about on here Denimhunters is the best of its kind—made the old-school way with top-quality materials.

And that usually comes with a hefty price tag.

But if you’re willing to look around, you can often find some real grails at a markdown price.

I’ve updated the sales guide to make it easier to navigate—cleaner structure, better overview, and quicker access to the retailers and brands worth checking.

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DENIM and PATCHES sourced this post originally published on this site