Crafting fashion for a new generation: Maximilian Davis taps into art and heritage for Ferragamo’s Spring 2024 collection
Ferragamo Spring 2024 at Milan Fashion Week
A year after his appointment, Maximilian Davis presented his third and much anticipated collection for Ferragamo. Saturday morning was a lucky time to be in Milan, with the majority of other shows being quite literally clouded by poor weather conditions. The setup echoed the clean and sleek atmosphere of the previous collection, this time in all white as if to turn a brand-new page in the brand’s trajectory.
Davis presented 64 looks for both women and men and balanced it out by carrying the grounded hues and pops of color throughout the collection. Within these pops of color however, there was one big piece missing – the “Ferragamo Red”. The designer had introduced the house color just last season as an interplay of his own design codes and the brand’s rich heritage. It was also drawing from Davis’s own label, connecting to the flag of Trinidad and Tobago and therefore to his roots. The color, which was interwoven throughout the Fall collection showed itself just once this time.
There was also a slight departure from the Hollywood glamor themes of the previous season. Some 1950s hints were still scattered throughout the collection, like the cinched waists and menswear tailoring approaches. Yet it was clear that the main source of inspiration had shifted. Davis named Italian marble and the Arte Povera movement as key guiding visions. He looked for similarities in the effortless way of life shared in both his own and Italian culture, bridging the two identities.
Striking greens and a balanced mix of materials
The opening looks were sleek black suits, meticulously fit around the waist, and with slit sleeves for extra movement. Instrumental music filled the room with a pensive air that mirrored the collection. The mixed materiality drawn from the Arte Povera inspirations first showed itself with striking silver zippers in all black looks.
Oversized coats juxtaposed slim, figure-hugging silhouettes of suits and dresses, adding visual interest. Shortly after, green started showing itself, sometimes just as accessories or accents on shoes, and sometimes as full monochrome looks. Maybe the most striking reiteration was the full leather suit carried by Aymeline Valade, grounded with a brown bag and shoes with a line of neutral colored beads. The green reached its peak with an oversized draped leather coat styled with shiny green boots, and a pistachio bag for an added shade.
Casual yet polished silhouettes flowed through the runway, in the midst of which some red accents and one red monochrome look that winked at the previous season. Other neutral monochromes were split by patterned dresses seemingly held together by metal rings and leather straps. Davis switched things up again by introducing a light baby blue in the second half of the show. As a part of patterns and accessories, and even in a full monochrome outfit, the hue brought a fresh and much-needed touch of a Spring collection.
Masterful tailoring bridging day and night
Davis’ use of materials continued to keep everyone on their toes, and one of the most surprising moments this manifested itself in was the white fitted midi dress, with the flare featuring a black lock of thin fringe. The last looks of the collection were an assertion of his masterful tailoring approach, which tied them seamlessly with the rest of the looks. Davis’ talent in creating day and night looks, able to capture attention while remaining wearable, was displayed in all aspects of the show.
Another star of the show was undoubtedly the accessories. Sleeker and smaller bags mirrored the polished feeling of the looks, while bigger bags complemented the effortlessness. The statement belt placed at the hips of a white flare dress added contrast not only with colors but once again with materials. Shoes with thick ankle straps echoed the leather accent pieces of the maxi dresses.
Maximilian Davis at Ferragamo SS24
Davis was appointed as creative director under CEO Marco Gobbetti. Well known for leading transformational change in many luxury brands, the CEO tapped into the talents of the young designer as a way to get Ferragamo in touch with a new generation of luxury. This was only shortly after Davis had launched his debut collection with London based talent incubator Fashion East.
A year after his appointment, Davis continues to do exactly what he was called to do by blending his own design language with the Florentine house’s DNA. At a time where emerging talents are gaining more traction than ever at fashion weeks, bigger brands need to put extra attention into keeping things fresh. Davis delivers timeless and well-tailored collections with a youthful twist, bringing the house out of its comfort zone. This spring collection is no exception and sets a steady and energetic pace for the season.
Ferragamo FW 2023 Show at Milan Fashion Week
The Ferragamo Spring 2024 Show was presented on the 23rd of September in Milan. This marked creative director Maximilian Davis’ third collection for the Florentine luxury house. Appointed in March 2022, the designer has been key in introducing a youthful angle to the brand’s long-lived codes.
