More than at Maximilian Davis’ debut show, Ferragamo’s revamp kick-started when Zendaya sported one of his first designs a fortnight after they were paraded during Milan Fashion Week. Similar to the house’s founder and his creations, the right muse was needed to best embody and express the potential of Davis’ aesthetic, its new sensuality and the younger direction the brand was taking. Appearances by Dua Lipa and Lewis Hamilton that closely followed added to the hype around the label and confirmed Davis’ mission in reclaiming Ferragamo’s spot on the red carpet, as well as in carving out one on social media.
“The idea is to introduce stars to Ferragamo again and have them in our community again,” he reiterated in a preview of his first pre-collection in Milan on Monday.
In keeping with the journey he started with the spring 2023 lineup, the designer had Hollywood in mind for this sleek collection as well. Only he zoomed out from Mount Lee’s famed sign to widen the scope of his exploration and multiply references, ranging from a Mark Rothko painting for the color palette to Nancy Holt’s Sun Tunnels installations for geometric motifs on leather pieces.
Inspired by Salvatore Ferragamo’s design of cowboy boots for “The Covered Wagon” silent movie in 1923, Davis imbued an American Western feel in his sharp, clean lines, further developing a major addition he made in the Ferragamo lexicon for spring: denim.
Denim jackets, pants and even a shirtdress that could double as a coat had a graphic appeal and flanked looks in distressed leather or flocked velvet. The sparkly red jeans winking to Marilyn Monroe’s Ferragamo shoes of yore that stole Davis’ debut show were succeeded by a black pair covered in metallic eyelets for pre-fall.
Elsewhere, Davis spotlighted the brand’s craftsmanship with rich fabrications. Sleek tailoring, five pocket pants and a gold bustier dress were crafted from eel skin; an organza slipdress and a duchess coat were splashed with checkered motifs; skintight cashmere frocks and long johns exalted the body with effortless elegance, while a juxtaposition of natural and shaved textures defined a statement shearling coat.
Heightening the subtle sensuality of the lineup, Ferragamo’s legacy in silk scarves was reinterpreted in a modern way via the draped details of strapless gowns, in printed tops as well as in a simple yet uber-chic men’s ribbed knit with a front panel to throw back over a shoulder.
As for those sought-after red carpet moments, there’s no grandeur in the eveningwear Davis conjures: everything is pared down to be relatable with consumers and often versatile enough to exist far from photographers’ flashbulbs. Cue a nude, two-piece ensemble made up of a long skirt with a minimal cady jacket with raw edges that could be worn to the office, too. Although the same can’t be said for the arty, metal-handled iteration of the Prisma bag, which was definitely the diva of the accessory cast.
