Genny Milan A/W 2013

Between crazy prints and in-your-face colors, you may find yourself lost in designers’ stories and visions. But that wasn’t the case with Genny. So here’s to bringing simplicity back to table: clean lines, neutral tones and subtle, feminine shapes.

The one trick with simplicity, though, is that it must be impeccable. Luckily for the designer, the trick was successfully mastered. The creative mind behind the label, Gabriele Colangelo, showed a lot of skill and control in terms of tailoring. The clothes seen on the runway were executed to the absolute perfection (should we mention the white double wool crêpe cape that opened the show? Or perhaps, the pantsuit that fit the model like a glove). Colangelo kept the silhouette very simple and elongated restrained from any attention-grabbing volumes and gave the looks structure with emphasizing the waist with stylish wide golden belts. The thoughtful use of quality materials, such as leather and fur gave the collection the desired high-end feel: The clothes exuded Italian glamour.

With over a half of century of tradition, and past creative directors such as Gianni Versace and Christian Lacroix, Genny used to be an Italian household name. But reviving a label can be as difficult as starting a new one. Since Gabriele Colangelo was named creative director, the label has been evolving with a resolved aesthetic. Let’s see if Colangelo can do for Genny what Tisci did for Givenchy.