MILAN — Leonardo Girombelli sees travelers as modern heroes. “They are curious, tolerant and open to diversity,” he said while introducing his new brand Escapista, which officially debuted last week.

The son of the founders of Genny, Arnaldo and Donatella Girombelli, and a seasoned fashion manager, Girombelli poured his passion for traveling and embedded his family DNA, long tied to style, into this start-up project, which adds to a wave of newly launched brands embracing a slower approach to fashion, timed out-of-sync with the traditional cycle in favor of pushing only intentional releases.

Escapista will operate as a series of concise drops of menswear and accessories rooted in quality wardrobe essentials, conceived with an easy-to-pack mindset and a penchant for all shades of blue — Girombelli’s favorite color.

“It signals depth and it’s the color I feel personally most comfortable with. But betting on this hue alone was also a way to be immediately readable and recognizable,” he said.

The first drop expressed Escapista’s if-you-know-you-know, understated aesthetic, that comes with an emphasis on imperfection and a lived-in feel.

Faded effects, cyanotype-evoking prints and hand-finished details like cross-stitch embroideries and wooden beads inspired by Buddhist mala informed the ready-to-wear pieces, all made in Italy’s Marche and Puglia regions. 

Designs range from the Ki T-shirt in organic cotton jersey, garment‑dyed with an old‑washed finish, and the Ubud long-sleeve shirt in cotton muslin enriched with mother‑of‑pearl buttons and the “ESC” cross‑stitch embroidery on the front, to the Atacama hoodie in garment‑dyed cotton terry cloth, the Gabo jogger pants and the versatile Atlas bomber jacket featuring a zippered phone pocket on the sleeve.

A beachwear line produced in Guimarães, Portugal, rounded out the apparel range and included swimsuits bearing prints created using manual techniques, such as stencils and airbrushing. 

Flanking the ready-to-wear line, unstructured accessories also spoke of the sense of movement and globetrotting nature of the brand, ranging from canvas tote bags and duffel bags to large weekenders crafted from grained leather or suede. “They are all centered on softness, in opposition to the rigidity of trolley suitcases,” Girombelli said.

That approach speaks of the overall nature of the brand and the personality of its target, which Girombelli defined as “discerning travelers” and “men like me,” aged 30 to 50 “who have many interests, from literature to photography and art, and most importantly who aren’t afraid to show their emotions. This aspect has always been associated with a female audience, I have plenty of friends who have always held back their sensitivity but it’s been there all the time.”

As a result, Escapista “is not a fashion-forward brand, but rather aimed at offering something more sober and inclusive, that can resonate with more people,” Girombelli said.

This is reflected also in the premium positioning and “honest price point” Girombelli looked to maintain. Prices range from 125 euros for T-shirts up to roughly 900 euros for leather travel bags. 

“It was important to calibrate prices for intellectual honesty first, and because I think consumers have become increasingly disaffected by luxury,” said Girombelli, adding he was able to limit costs as he works directly with small ateliers and “there are no steps in between” in Escapista’s supply chain. 

Girombelli started his professional career at a young age by entering the family business. When Genny was sold in 2001, he collaborated with Elio Fiorucci before joining Yoox, where he held various managerial roles during his eight-year stint. In 2010, Pietro Beccari tapped him to serve as digital director at Fendi. Girombelli later held the same role at the Prada Group, while at Tod’s he was appointed marketing director. In 2022, he decided to focus on strategic consulting and served as adviser for different companies, before embracing his entrepreneurial spirit and embarking on the Escapista project in May last year.

The brand will be mainly direct-to-consumer, relying mostly on its online store to best convey the values and storytelling behind its products. Girombelli is looking to complement the digital presence with a very select physical one — but rather than looking for fashion retailers, he’s already signing up deals with hotels in resort destinations.

He sees these locations more attuned to the brand’s ethos and praised their distinct curation. “If you think about it, women always find something to buy in these boutiques, but that’s not that frequent for men, which puts us in a good position,” Girombelli said.

To start, he will focus on the Mediterranean area, with Italy, Spain, Greece and Portugal as the first countries for the brand’s expansion. Product-wise, Girombelli has already planned the second and third drops of the label in July and November, which will include more fall-oriented pieces with the introduction of knitwear along with beauty cases and small leather goods.