“When you are a woman making clothes for women, then fashion is not just about how you look it is about how you think and feel.” Maria Grazia Chiuri
One of the more rewarding and interesting aspects of attending Fashion Weeks, is to discover new brands and designers. Genny is a well established brand in Europe with roots extending back to its 1961 founding in Milan, Italy. Less known in the United States, its first store opened in Beverly Hills, California in 2016, followed a year later with a location in New York City. I was eager to learn more about this respected “Made-In-Italy” brand.
Genny began modestly as a small boutique with an attached tailoring shop that provided knit skirts and blouses to the store. Known for practical, wearable pieces of high quality construction and fabrics, it experienced continual growth during the 1960’s.
In 1973 a young Gianni Versace brought his developing bold vision to the company as Creative Director. His colorful combinations, drama and sensual silhouettes built on the existing reputation for reliable quality and tailoring. Other emerging designers such as Christian LaCroix, Dolce & Gabbana and Claude Montana continued this tradition.
Following the death of founder, Arnaldo Girombelli, his wife, Donatella, took over leadership and competently expanded into accessories, fragrance, eyewear and extended the brand’s geographic reach. In 2001, Prada acquired Genny in a bid to expand its own portfolio. Ironically, Prada’s dramatic fashion presentations and limited edition collections elevated Genny’s profile but not that of Prada. Production was suspended for several years and eventually, in 2011, Swinger International Group acquired Genny.
CEO, Mathias Facchini, is married to Creative Director, Sara Cavazza Facchini and the two are uniquely qualified to resurrect this respected brand. Mathias concentrates on expansion and establishing new locations and Sara brings a well articulated, refined and modern vision to the brands DNA. She has broad experience in the fashion world. She has worked with Karl Lagerfeld at Fendi, Avant-Garde brand, Marni, youth and denim oriented Diesel and Max Mara.
Perhaps even more influential than her fashion experience is her deep interest in cultures, art, nature and, above all, her passion for and understanding of the women for whom she designs. Sara creates for women who work, travel and juggle multiple social and family roles all while maintaining a strong sense of their femininity — with a dash of romance. One could say she designs for herself!
For Sara it all begins with how a fabric makes her feel. She’s after elegant, confident, beautiful and at ease; it is how she wants her clientele to feel. Her clean, modern silhouettes are softened with a touch of the romantic or exotic, inspired by cultures she has encountered and art she has studied.
I was privileged to meet both Sara and Mathias backstage after the fashion show. Sara is warm, approachable and engaging. She is interested in responses to her work and was pleased with my comment that her designs made me think of a fusion of the feminine elegant sophistication of Elie Saab and the organic shapes of fashion forward Iris von Herpen. Mathias confided he plans to open a new location in the United States, possibly in Miami very soon. I hope so because I think the independent, style conscious women of South Florida are a perfect fit for the Purely Personal aesthetic of Genny!
