K is for KRIZIAJust when the name Krizia had slowly escaped the conscious of everyone working in the New York fashion scene the company has opened a new modern boutique on 14th street. In the epicenter of the Meat Market, and a stones throw from The High Line, The Standard Hotel, and Jeffrey New York, the new boutique replaces the Madison Avenue corner spot that was home to Krizia for at least a decade, 
MARIUCCA MANDELLI OF KRIZIAand had shuttered its doors a few years ago. Created by an eccentric Italian woman in 1950, the label has had many incarnations and collections over its 60 year tenure. Mariucca Mandelli looks and behaves like someone from Central Casting in a Hollywood movie about a Milanese fashion house. With iconic black bangs and a bob, Mandelli is the classic Italian Fashion Nonna (or Nona!). She runs the show, she takes the press, and she pays the bills.
Known for Animal prints in the 80's and color blocking in the 90's, since 00 Mandelli is best known in the fashion world for being the woman who fired Alber Elbaz after only one critically acclaimed collection for Krizia Top. 
CLICK IMAGE TO SHOP KRIZIA FRAGRANCES Not happy with the global press he brought, Mandelli fired Elbaz over "creative differences" in record time. I attended that show in Milan, and it was one of the most beautiful collections I ever saw walk a runway. Yes, Krizia could have seen the rebirth that Lanvin has had under the guidance of Elbaz - but it wasn't meant to be. This scenario is too often the issue with Italian owned fashion houses and American or French born designers. (The Lanvin website is a must visit - I promise you will be charmed).
A storied house of fashion that has seen better days and better sales will hire an up and coming designer in order to breathe new life into the brand. 
KRIZIA - FLAGSHIP BOUTIQUE - NYC When the press and department stores come calling, suddenly egos are damaged since the new designer is getting "all the attention", even if the owners are getting all the Euros. Seems silly doesn't it? It is. Mandelli is not alone though, there are many who have followed the same route. Think Donatella Girombelli of Genny. She will forever be known as the woman who fired a young designer named - Gianni Versace. But then again, what did he know? Since three is a charm, let's not forget Guiliana Gerani of the "big in the 80's" house of ICEBERG. Gerani also had a little known designer by the name of Marc Jacobs designing her signature collection. Known as Mama Gerani by Iceberg employees in Cattolica, Italy, Guiliana never saw a design or color board she didn't think she could tweak or take for her own collection.
Jacobs didn't last long there. But he had bigger and better things to do. I don't think it's a coincidence that both the Genny and Iceberg websites are "under construction" at the moment!
The staying power of Krizia is reason enough to celebrate the house and the ability of Mariucca to keep turning it out season after season. Big in Japan, the company has a roster of fragrances and licensee's in that part of the world. There are women's and men's clothing as well as handbags and small leather goods. If nothing else, Mandelli's choice of retail locations shows she is one smart cookie. Now you know! Click KRIZIA to learn more.