Could this be a trend? More Italian fashion brands looking to the L.A. market for exposure and retail growth? Just a few months ago, Italian brand Eleventy expanded to a new permanent location in Beverly Hills, and now Genny, where Gianni Versace got his start by working with Genny sister brand Byblos, has come to Brighton Way with its first U.S. store just a few doors down on the same side of the street.

This new outpost is a big deal for Genny, which has only two stand-alone stores in Italy - one in Milan and one in Capri. "I think it is going to be a good market for me," said Sara Cavazza Facchini, Genny's creative director, who was in town for the new boutique's opening. "People like the femininity and the shape of my clothes. They like the quality of the fabric and the touch of elegance."