Massimiliano Giornetti's menswear collections for Ferragamo used to feel either too tricky or too safe. But the company kept its faith in him, even handing him the top prize, the womenswear line, and Giornetti has repaid them with an increasingly sure hand. His Spring 2012 men's show had the courage of its convictions. Giornetti took the idea of Picasso in his studio in the south of France as his starting point, explaining that he wanted to convey a sense of joy and light, and he followed through on the idea. Models paraded by in a series of utilitarian but sophisticated belted jackets and seriously wide-legged pants. Those jackets should fit fairly comfortably into the wardrobes of today's Riviera habitués.
The pants could be a tougher sell, as Giornetti freely admitted backstage. The point is that he wasn't afraid to make a statement with them on the runway. What's more, he didn't overplay his hand. Tying things together was a persuasive palette of navy, khaki, and jade green, as well as a smart espadrille-lace-up hybrid.
