Take Note: Generra
You may remember Generra in the 80's as the brand that manufactured Hypercolor T-shirts, the heat activated color-changing clothing; since then the brand was relaunched in 2003, with a whole new design frame of mind. Instead of being the purveyor of a novelty apparel item, the understated and fashionable line is now sold alongside chic names such as Marc by Marc Jacobs and Ella Moss, largely due to its focus on amazing quality and fit. Sean Krebs, the Generra spokesperson, believes the label's aesthetic is "effortlessly cool." "Our thoughtful details, ultra-soft fabrics and subtle washes make Generra clothes feel like a second skin," Krebs says. "We've always had great easy, natural, wearable clothes. Clothes that every cool girl covets."
Generra is comfortably chic and "sexy but never in an obvious way," Krebs explains, which translates into it's focus on clean lines and materials with hip styling. For example, Generra will sell a charcoal-gray jumper dress, but it'll be mini in length with a puckered neckline -- edgy, cool, but never overt. This combination of simple silhouettes with quality detailing makes the line incredibly versatile for the girl on the go; a Generra item is just as easy to wear to formal occasions as it is to throw on for work or a weekend afternoon of running errands.
"In the spring collection there's a really great short-sleeve bomber jacket in a fun patent leather that looks equally cool with skinny jeans for brunch with friends as it does over a mini-dress for a night on the town," Krebs explains of Generra's adaptability.
The brand has a serious celeb following -- including Jessica Alba, Julianne Moore, Madonna, Angelina Jolie, Kirsten Dunst, Halle Berry, Christy Turlington, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Jennifer Aniston -- but the beauty of the clothing is that it's not "overly-trendy" in design; so an investment in Generra is definitely longer lasting than merely a season or two. That's more than we can say about those sequined shorts we bought a few years back.
Generra is carried in both major department stores, such as Barneys and Saks Fifth Avenue, and at smaller e-boutiques, such as Shopbop.com and RevolveClothing.com. Prices run the gamut, from $27.99 for this punchy Racer-Back Tank (at Bluefly.com) to $895 for the aforementioned Cropped Patent Leather Jacket (at Shopbop.com). With its subtly chic look and range of prices, Generra offers lasting, stylish clothing that keeps us coming back for more.
-- Lindsay Sakraida
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