Italian Summer
For Salvatore Ferragamo Spring/Summer ’20, creative director Paul Andrew showcased an ultra-sophisticated ready-to-wear collection, propelling a 1979 house icon into the future. By Mughni Che Din.
The inspiration behind Paul Andrew’s latest collection for Salvatore Ferragamo was sparked by a precious childhood memory. “It started with a photo on my mother’s mantelpiece of my brother and I on a summer holiday in Italy when we were kids in the 1980s,” Andrew revealed to me backstage. “I wanted to bring that feeling of fun and sun-drenched innocence into a modern context with a collection that is physically very light and knowingly bourgeois which also has tangible depth, substance, and care in its construction.” Set on the historic grounds of Milan’s Rotonda della Besana, Andrew’s notion of family and “joyful living” was conveyed onto the runway where his nonchalant collection embodied the Florentine luxury label’s passion for tradition and artisanal craftsmanship. The show opened with model-of-the-moment Binx Walton in a head-to-toe white ensemble. The clothes were tailored
in soft fabrics with comfortable volumes, channelling an elegant yet simple, almost minimalist aesthetic. What’s more, Andrew also took the opportunity to showcase his newest take on the brand’s iconic shoes, the Vara, where he slightly tweaked the design to present the updated version, aptly named the Viva. The latest ballerina flats come in multiple colours and are adorned with an enlarged bow for a modernist feminine touch.
The monochromatic looks made way for ’80s-inspired shapes and silhouettes. From bubble skirts and puff-sleeved shirts to wide-legged dungarees, Andrew’s interpretation of that era of which he described as “pared-down”, evoked a sense of quiet luxury. Smooth Nappa leather was omnipresent throughout the collection in the form of jumpsuits, button-down jackets, and miniskirts, all of which were seemed perfectly light for summer dressing. Furthermore, prints took inspiration from Ammannati’s 16th century Fountain of Neptune in Florence—recently restored, thanks to the funding by the Ferragamo family—were played against prints of oversized tulip on scarf-caps, breezy silk devore dresses, and swimwear.
Apart from the Viva shoes, Andrew also experimented with unconventional materials and finishes in the footwear department. There were colour-block strappy sandals, transparent PVC heels, and cool ostrich espadrilles that complemented each look as they went down the runway. Elsewhere, the Trifolio bag came in different variations; from leather-lined canvas to hand-woven leather mesh and ostrich skin, the bags were presented in a new shoulder slung size for the warmer season.
Indeed, the latest season saw Andrew successfully prove his skills and expertise as a creative director of the Italian heritage brand. An undoubtedly ultrasophisticated collection that exuded timesless appeal. As he shared just moments before he left backstage, the collection was “precious but never heavy, these are clothes, shoes, and bags to cherish far beyond a single season for many summers to come.”