Gianfranco Reni is now considered one of the most important and controversial young figures in Mexican fashion.
His collections consistently surprised season after season, propelling him into the spotlight of both national and international fashion. Gianfranco cultivated a European style that seamlessly blended the transgressive, daring, and elegant, all while incorporating theatrical touches.
Specializing in small, exclusive productions, his brand focused on experimenting with new garment construction techniques and materials. His approach to fashion extended beyond creating garments; he aimed to develop well-defined concepts for each collection.
In his relatively brief professional career, Gianfranco Reni left a unique mark on the world of Mexican fashion. A prolific designer, he continuously proposed new styles in pattern-making, materials, colors, textures, and accessories.
Timeline:
1999: He studied Fashion Design at the Instituto di Moda Burgo in Milan, complemented by studies in visual merchandising at the Academia Vetrinistica Italiana. In 2003, he returned to Italy to complete his fashion studies at the same school.
2004: He interned at Alexander McQueen’s studio in London, working directly with the brand’s creative team on the development of the Pret-a-Porter collection for Spring-Summer 2006.
2009: He launched his first collection, “MY ARMY,” debuting at the prestigious MERCEDES BENZ DFASHION MÉXICO, paying homage to the recently deceased designer Alexander McQueen.
2010: Presented his second collection, “TRIBÚ,” at the MERCEDES FASHION WEEK, featuring more commercial garments with a thematic thread of white color and tribal elements from Oceania and America.
2011-2012: Collections “DOLL-MINATRIX” (fall/winter 2011) and “WOMANIMAL” (spring/summer 2012) gained strong exposure on magazine covers and prominent media outlets such as CNN Español, Glow, Gente, Vanity Fair, Elle, Want, Fernanda, Kena, Quien, OHM, Fahrenheit, Mid Woman, among many others. He served as a judge on the reality show MEXICO’S NEXT TOP MODEL 2nd season.
2012: His fourth collection, “SENSHI ONNA” (fall/winter 2012), inspired by Samurai armor, was selected to represent MERCEDES BENZ FASHION WEEK MÉXICO at MERCEDES BENZ MALTA FASHION WEEK. He participated as a judge in the first season of the television program ELLE MÉXICO DISEÑA and was a special guest on MEXICO’S NEXT TOP MODEL.
2016: Designed the costumes for the film “Macho,” earning an Ariel Award nomination for Best Costume Design.
His designs adorned public figures such as Lana del Rey, Kate del Castillo, Cecilia Galiano, Sara Galindo, Silvia Navarro, Belinda, Paola Nuñez, Angelica Rivera (former Mexican First Lady), world-class diver Paola Espinosa, and Lena from the group Ta.Tu, among others.
2017: Gianfranco faced a battle against cancer, hindering further commercial collection development.
2019: Gianfranco Reni passed away at the age of 39. Almost five years after his death, his siblings Giovanna and Giorgio Reni decided to continue his legacy as a tribute. They rescued designs he had completed but not launched, reintroducing models that had brought him fame as a groundbreaking designer in Mexican fashion.