SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

Salvatore Ferragamo finally returned to physical format runway shows with its spring/summer 2022 collections after a 12-month hiatus. The collection also marked menswear design director Guillaume Meilland’s foray into womenswear, as the brand navigated a transitory phase after the departure of creative director Paul Andrew (his successor Maximilian Davis had not yet been announced). It’s interesting to see the synergy between both collections coming through with a singular creative direction, without Andrew’s input. While a few pieces were distinctly conventionally feminine, quite a few – the billowy kaftan-esque tops, the louche knits, even the roomy floral polo tee – skirted on gender-fluid. Ferragamo is known for its sumptuous colour treatments, seen here in a rich marigold short-sleeved knit top and a summer coat in brilliant blue. Yet, some of the ideas don’t fully land, for instance, the sagging belts over the too-long knit polos, or the incongruity of the tiger print, but it’ll be interesting to see how Davis and Meilland choose to guide the future of the brand.