MFW: GENNY SPRING/SUMMER 2019

Four years have passed since I last bothered to review a Genny collection, primarily because it has taken that long to find a collection that didn’t look remarkably like the last one. Having a strong code is common to any fashion house, but creative director Sara Cavazza Facchini rarely strays from the common elements that have made the reincarnation of this label popular with a certain set of women that, presumably, purchase it year after year.

Genny’s parent company, Swinger International Group of Verona, is big on maintaining primary aesthetics so perhaps that’s where the commitment to flowing dresses and a certain sensual look originate. Swinger International is primarily a license management company, though, and one might question whether they’re providing Facchini with the encouragement necessary to explore outside this narrow box they’ve constructed for the brand. There’s little here that reminds one of the brand that saw a young Gianni Versace flourish.

To her credit, Facchini’s collection for next spring is definitely more colorful than it was four years ago. In addition to bright primary colors dominating the palette for this season, she’s included an exotic floral print that works well with these generous silhouettes. Her choice of fabrics has improved as well, with light-weight high-tech materials giving garments a little more play while remaining light and fresh for spring.

In fact, the material may be a little too light. A deep plunging neckline is nothing new for Facchini but with fabric that moves around easily double-sided take is a must and none of the models seem to have any. Wardrobe malfunctions on the runway were surprisingly frequent as some models were constantly adjusting their ensembles while others bravely walked on. Not a big deal, really, in the grand scheme of things, but a detail one might want to keep in mind before wearing one of these dresses to a rooftop party next summer.

Here are a few samples from the collection.

The last look above is one of the more interesting silhouettes in this collection. The cinched waist layered in Neoprene gives the illusion of an underbust corset while the beaded top enhances the bust and chest. The look is sensually provocative and definitely not something one sees too often in a jumper. There are several other pieces here that quietly surprise one with how unique their cut and styling is.

What Ms. Facchini has ultimately done is use contemporary fabrics to give the house aesthetic a bit of a modern makeover. She sneaks in some crafty bibs and belts and overlays that keep the collection from looking like it’s four years old. As a result, this may be the first Genny collection we’ve seen in a while that attracts some customers outside its core audience. While not everything works, which is understandable, a lot does, especially the pieces with clear elements. If Facchini continues in this direction, we might see the Genny brand return to the prominence it knew under Versace. We wouldn’t mind that at all.

 

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