There are names that seem destined from the start to leave a mark. Fabio Menconi is perhaps one of them. After more than thirty years spent in the great ateliers of international Haute Couture, working alongside masters such as Giorgio Armani, Gianni Versace, Escada, Dolce & Gabbana, and many others, Menconi is now finally unveiling his personal vision: a brand that bears his own name and embodies the essence of a life entirely dedicated to the pursuit of beauty, elegance and harmony.
His story is rooted in Italy, between the intimate atmosphere of small tailoring workshops and the creative breath of the brands that shaped fashion history. Amid rooms lined with fine fabrics and meticulous craft, and surrounded by the beauty, art, and layered history of Perugia—whose roots reach from the Etruscan and Roman eras to the Middle Ages—his dream of launching his own brand took shape and became reality.
Work from Fabio Menconi's Autumn Collection
While still very young, Fabio was discovered by Donatella Girombelli, owner of the “Genny-Byblos” group. Girombelli is the same figure who, in the early 1970s, discovered the talent of a then-unknown Gianni Versace, who within that very company took his first steps, became creative director, and subsequently in 1978 launched the brand that bears his name.
I belong to a generation that learned the craft directly on the job, just as the great names of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, today’s icons, laid their roots in the fashion world
It was here that Fabio signed his first designs for the second line “Genny Due.” At the same time, he collaborated with Dolce & Gabbana for the “Complice” collections and with Alessandro Dell’Acqua for “Malisy,” all lines belonging to the Genny-Byblos group. This experience soon brought him into the heart of the Maison’s main line, “Genny,” working alongside Donatella Girombelli herself under the creative direction of Gianni Versace, in a decade that consecrated the greatest names of the fashion system—a world that Fabio fully absorbed, breathing in art, creativity, industrial and sartorial technique.
Here, Menconi worked on evening wear, ceremony, cocktail, and furs, as well as accessories: shoes, bags, eyewear, and scarves. He quickly became the organizer of Milan and international fashion shows, including the historic show at the UN’s Glass Palace in New York. “I consider Gianni Versace and Donatella Girombelli my true great masters,” Menconi recalls. “They really were my school, my university. Like them, I belong to a generation that learned the craft directly on the job, just as the great names of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, today’s icons, laid their roots in the fashion world” (fashion schools that train new designers were founded many years later). “Looking back, I feel as though I lived a fairy tale: a very young boy with a passion for fashion and design who, overnight, left his hometown of the Italian province to work side by side with the greatest names in international fashion business, names that, just days before, he could only admire on TV. It was like a modern fairy tale, like a scene from The Devil Wears Prada.”
His talent took him beyond Italy’s borders. In 1997 he arrived in Munich, Germany, as designer and head of Escada Couture and Special Events collections, creating gowns destined to shine on international red carpets. He worked alongside Todd Oldham and the New York duo Badgley & Mischka, designing for Hollywood stars and elite clients: dresses showcased at the Academy Awards, at the most exclusive celebrity and royal weddings, and at glamorous international events. Some of his designs include dresses created for Kim Basinger, Sarah Ferguson, Brenda Blethyn, Minnie Driver and many other local and international celebrities like Italian TV presenter Milly Carlucci for the “Pavarotti and Friends” charity concert broadcasted worldwide. Thanks to their visibility and importance, these creations have remained iconic over time.
But it was Mr. Giorgio Armani who brought him back to Italy. The designer chose him as head designer for evening wear, Couture, and exclusive VIP projects. For Armani, Menconi designed and oversaw haute couture projects for Hollywood divas and icons such as Sophia Loren, Jodie Foster, Gwyneth Paltrow, Tina Turner, Queen Fabiola of Belgium, Princess Marie and Princess Tatjana von Liechtenstein, Phil Collins, Jacqueline Kennedy’s sister Lee Radziwill and many other celebrities within the golden world of the Armani Maison. It was an intense, exhilarating, and formative period that further enriched his stylistic language. “Working alongside Giorgio Armani was not only formative but also extremely difficult, stimulating, and demanding. At the same time, I had to forget everything I had learned over the years from Mr. Gianni Versace and start over, changing style and vision completely,” Menconi explains. “Armani’s fashion is full of intangible details—sometimes almost invisible or imperceptible—that make his style unique and recognizable worldwide. After more than a decade, I found myself having to start almost from scratch, to study and deeply understand these canons of beauty and the boundaries never to be crossed. My role took me around the world and into the homes of the most prominent figures on the planet, where I was a key figure enriching the image of the Maison with my creations.”
This experience opened new paths and prestigious contracts, such as his collaboration with the “Rena Lange” brand in Munich, a Maison of extremely refined and Couture taste, considered the “Valentino of Germany.” Later, he chose to establish himself as a freelance designer, working with Italian and international prêt-à-porter Maison, as well as private clients with Haute Couture, bridal and evening creations. Many celebrities have remained faithful to his refined and timeless style.
With gratitude to his mentor, Mr. Giorgio Armani, and to the valued clients from Hollywood.
The Art of Dressing Eternity
Fabio Menconi’s collection is a hymn to timeless elegance. It does not bow to fleeting trends but observes them from afar, choosing instead to create feminine silhouettes that embrace women in every moment of life: a business meeting, a wedding, a night out dancing, a refined dinner, a gym session, or a weekend of leisure. Each piece is designed to accompany life’s occasions with a naturalness that becomes style.
“I want every woman to feel happy and at ease in what she wears,” says Menconi. “Because every woman is special, and she deserves to shine at every moment of her day. When a woman wears one of my creations and it helps her make an event memorable and joyful, that is what gives me the strength to choose this profession again, day after day. When I sense the affection of a client who trusts me by choosing my design, that is when I truly feel like a successful designer.”
Timeless elegance and style designed by Fabio Menconi
His philosophy translates into garments that become true allies, ready for any occasion and almost any age: sharply cut, built from materials that can endure but at the same time are versatile enough to transform through refined styling. It is a wardrobe of contemporary classics and statement pieces—always ready to be reinvented with fresh, vibrant combinations.
And then, the details: jewel-like buttons that catch the light, embroidered trims that whisper craftsmanship, touches of fur, metallic accents that add character, prints personally designed by Menconi himself. Each piece is unique, exclusive, and infused with discreet luxury—a reflection of authentic passion for the craft, without ever overwhelming the personality of the woman who wears it.
In a world that rushes forward, Fabio Menconi invites us to pause and rediscover the enduring value of style. Fashion may change, but elegance remains. His creations dress not only the body but also accompany the soul—reminding every woman that true luxury is always feeling herself, wrapped in the timeless grace of a dream made real.
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Amazing designer and a great article!