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                                                                    EXHIBIT 99.1

FINANCIAL CONTACT: JAMES S. GULMI  (615) 367-8325
MEDIA CONTACT: CLAIRE S. MCCALL (615) 367-8283


                    GENESCO ANNOUNCES UPCOMING PRESENTATIONS

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Feb. 20, 2001 ---- Genesco Inc. (NYSE: GCO) announced that two
upcoming presentations at financial analysts' conferences will be available to
the public live via the internet.

         On February 22, 2001, at 12:45 p.m. (EST), Ben T. Harris, Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer; Hal N. Pennington, President and Chief Operating
Officer and James S. Gulmi, Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer,
will speak at Wells Fargo Van Kasper's Footwear Industry 2001 Conference in Las
Vegas. The presentation may be accessed on the internet at www.genesco.com.

         On February 26, 2001, at 8:15 a.m. (EST), Harris, Pennington and Gulmi
will speak at Bear Stearns' Seventh Annual Retail and Apparel Conference in New
York. The presentation will be accessible at
www.bearstearns.com\conferences\retail.

         Genesco, based in Nashville, sells footwear and accessories in 759
retail stores in the U.S., principally under the names Journeys, Johnston &
Murphy, Jarman and Underground Station, and on internet websites
www.journeys.com and www.johnstonmurphy.com. The Company also sells footwear at
wholesale under its Johnston & Murphy brand and under the licensed Dockers
brand. Additional information on Genesco and its operating divisions may be
accessed at its website www.genesco.com.












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