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Gentry Portofino is one of Italy’s quiet luxury knitwear houses — a label that built its reputation not on noise but on meticulous yarns, saturated color and refined, wearable design. The story begins in Genoa in 1974, when boutique owner Camillo Bertelli spotted a gap: knitwear was dominated by Anglo-Saxon producers and lacked the chromatic richness he imagined for a modern wardrobe. His answer was Gentry Portofino, a brand conceived to bring color to knitwear and to translate that idea into a complete, contemporary look. The concept resonated immediately and the label found fast success across Italy’s most discerning boutiques.
From the outset, Gentry Portofino didn’t stop at sweaters. It moved forward as a total-look collection, building out a wardrobe around its knitwear core. A pivotal moment arrived in 1978, when the brand forged an agreement with Manifattura Ligure Maglieria (MALIMA) and subsequently helped establish MGM to produce and process fully-fashioned knitwear — a major technical step that elevated quality and consistency. By 1980, the house had introduced menswear alongside the women’s lines, reinforcing its identity as an Italian knitwear specialist with head-to-toe credibility.
Materials have always been a calling card. The label’s “everlasting gentry” garments prioritize cashmere, cashmere-silk blends, merino wool, linen, cotton and viscose, chosen for tactility, drape and long-term wear. The brand paired those yarns with progressive production — moving beyond cut-and-sew to fully-fashioned techniques — so silhouettes could be cleaner, seams more precise and knit architecture more considered. The result is knitwear that reads luxurious at first glance and proves its value over years in the wardrobe.
Another pillar of Gentry Portofino’s identity is its dialogue with great designers. In its formative years the brand invited rising talents to interpret its knitwear code: Enrico Coveri designed from 1975 to 1977, Gianfranco Ferré from 1977 to 1979, and later Martin Margiela from 1992 to 1997. Beyond these marquee names, designers such as Saverio Palatella and Christina Kim contributed their vision, while the company’s manufacturing know-how supported iconic international labels including Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and Zoran. This mix of in-house expertise and external creativity sharpened the brand’s aesthetic while anchoring it in world-class craftsmanship.
In the 2010s, Gentry Portofino entered a new chapter under the stewardship of Olmar & Mirta S.p.A. — an Italian fashion group known for knitwear excellence. Public records and the brand’s own website confirm that merchandise sold via the official e-store is produced and sold by Olmar & Mirta S.p.A. from its Mantova (Quistello) headquarters, reinforcing the industrial backbone behind the maison’s artisanal surface. External industry coverage also notes a 2011 takeover of the brand and knitwear factory by Giambattista Tirelli of Olmar & Mirta, further integrating Gentry Portofino into a robust manufacturing ecosystem.
This groundwork set the stage for a renewed public push. At Milan Fashion Week 2019, Gentry Portofino staged a presentation that reintroduced its “deluxe knitwear for the refined woman,” curated by co-creative directors, and framed the label as a formerly insider, now wider-audience proposition. The narrative underscored what insiders already knew: Gentry Portofino’s strength lies in quietly spectacular knitwear — rich in texture, tuned in color, and cut for real life.
Product range & signatures
Today the brand’s assortment spans sweaters, cardigans, dresses, skirts, coats and tailored knit separates, with seasonal capsules that explore yarn innovations and finishing techniques. Expect feather-light cashmere crewnecks, cocooning cardigans, ribbed knitted dresses with sculptural lines, and outerwear that balances softness and structure. The palette is a point of difference — not just neutrals, but nuanced hues and tonal layering that flatter a broad range of skin tones. Construction tends toward fully-fashioned builds for cleaner seams and longevity, and the hand feel — from cashmere to cotton-linen blends — is consistently elevated.
Unique selling points
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Color-first knitwear vision from an Italian heritage house that has prioritized hue, saturation and tonality since day one.
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Technical credibility in fully-fashioned production and yarn development, stemming from the late-70s MGM milestone.
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A designer-led legacy, with chapters by Coveri, Ferré and Margiela enriching the knitwear language.
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Industrial strength meets artistry under Olmar & Mirta, ensuring scale, quality control and continuity.
Target audience & positioning
Gentry Portofino speaks to women who want luxury without logos — customers who prize touch, drape and subtle design over loud statements. These are wardrobes built for longevity: travel-friendly knits, office-to-dinner dresses, cardigans that replace a jacket and coats with the ease of a sweater. With heritage stretching back to 1974 and a product roster grounded in cashmere and noble blends, the label sits firmly in the luxury knitwear segment, offering statement understatement for a global clientele.
Why shop it on plus0concept.com
The plus0concept buy leans into the brand’s strengths: knit dresses with architectural ribbing, seasonless cashmere layers, and outerwear that pairs with everything. If you’re curating a compact, high-impact wardrobe, start with a neutral cashmere sweater, add a richly toned knit dress, and top with a textured cardigan or knitted coat — pieces that layer effortlessly and justify their space in your closet.
Bottom line: Gentry Portofino is knitwear with a point of view — Italian, color-led, technically assured and steeped in designer history. If you appreciate fabric over flash and craftsmanship over trend, this is the quiet luxury that keeps paying you back wear after wear.