Salvatore Ferragamo: Sensuality and Sustainability

Paul Andrew loves a good read – hefty tomes don’t scare him. Or at least that’s what we have to believe, according to his backstage narrative at a recent show. During his holidays in Mexico he happened to confront the mighty oeuvre of Carl Gustav Jung, the founding father of analytical psychology. Jung’s essays on female archetypes struck Andrew as particularly poignant and relevant, given today’s discourse on femininity. Kudos to him for doing what many designers should be doing: putting more cultural depth into their work. Collections’relevance and credibility cannot be achieved only through sheer instincts, or money sourced from big corporations, or the well-established cut-and-paste, patching-Instagram-finds that moodboards are overflowing with. You need to actually read and study – the old-school way.

Andrew didn’t brag about the two big S’s dominating today’s fashion conversation: sensuality and sustainability, yet both were well-represented in the fall collection.

While sticking to the minimalism he favors, the designer introduced a new feel for a softer expression of femininity, more free and individual. This is where the discourse on archetypes kicked in, as it already did in his men’s collection. Andrew referred to Jung’s seven female archetypes (related to ancient Greek mythology in that every goddess embodied a virtue or a value) and how they’ve molded our collective unconscious, influencing beliefs and behaviors. They’re still powerful bearers of meaning. Every woman can relate to them, every single identity a free-wheeling mixture of these seven paradigms: The Huntress, The Mother, The Queen, The Sage, The Lover, The Mystic, The Maiden. “Fitting into a single type is obsolete today, both for women and for men,” said Andrew. “Women’s identities are shifting kaleidoscopes.”

Translating such mighty references into an actual collection requires a light hand – a sense of humor also helps. On Andrew’s moodboard, images of Greek statuary depicting Hera, Persephone, Athena and Venus were plastered near portraits of Oprah, Michelle Obama, Joan Didion – and of course of Nancy Pelosi, busy shredding those pieces of paper. No shrinking violets, or silly references to bygone movie stars; instead real, powerful, brave examples of femininity. “I would really love to dress all of them,” enthuses Andrew. Maybe, if he sticks to his guns, one day this dream might come true.

Silhouettes retained the lean, elongated and elegant contours Andrew favors, but the sense of ease was more apparent than usual; belted waists added to shapely body contours. Also at play were sensuous see-through accents and an imaginative, decorative feel. A foliage motif found in one of Fulvia Ferragamo’s sketchbooks was reproduced on macramé and rendered in printed motifs on a wellproportioned trench coat, or else patched in appliqués on a thick, comforting oversized knitted jumper. On the same inventive note, Ferragamo’s metallic chain motif was translated into a fringed tabard, worn over a leotard, or made into a soft grosgrain chain-like ribbon, festooning a column dress – an homage to the bow decorating the evergreen Vara shoe.

Leather accessories are one of Ferragamo’s strongest points. It was here that sustainability was addressed. Leftovers of old leather supplies were up-cycled into high-heeled strappy sandals, or in high crocodile boots, or again in bags made from deadstocks of exotic skins.