Salvatore Ferragamo, the storied Italian house which was founded 1927 and remains synonymous with high end but safe loafers and leather goods, is set for a shake-up.
Today came the announcement London fashion’s hottest upcoming design talent, Maximilian Davis, will take over as Creative Director as of Wednesday, 16 March.
Davis, who founded his own label in 2020 and has been showing his collection’s through the London’s talent incubator Fashion East for the past three seasons, has fast become known for designs that mix his Trinidadian-Jamaican origins with a Mancunian upbringing and top tier tailoring.
A graduate of London College of Fashion, the 26-year-old has been celebrated for sleek cut jumpsuits, geometric printed denim and statement pieces ranging from the flowing, sheer lilac gown he presented last February, to a spiked back piece worn by Dua Lipa in the "Sweetest Pie" music video with Megan Thee Stallion, released March 11 .
Alongside Lipa, Davis’ designs are loved by the likes of A$AP Rocky, Michaela Coel and Rihanna. Ferragamo looks to be after a slice of this celebrity, as the appointment marks a stark shift in strategy for a heritage label which has historically focussed more on quality than big names.
Some have drawn comparisons with the re-invention of another ailing Italian brand, Bottega Veneta, which was transformed by the London-based designer Daniel Lee into an It-label amongst a new generation of luxury clientele.
Ferragamo’s CEO Marco Gobbetti is behind the decision, which shares similarities with his move to bring in Riccardo Tisci to design at Burberry, where he was previously CEO between 2017 and 2021.
“The clarity of Maximilian Davis’s vision together with the level of execution and his powerful aesthetic make him one of the most brilliant talents of his generation. His work is defined by elegance, refined sensuality, and constant commitment to quality,” Gobbetti said in a statement released on Ferragamo’s Instagram account this morning.
Appointing a young Black creative director also marks an exemplary step for Italian fashion, where diversity in head designs positions has lagged in comparison to its European fashion counterparts. “Through his lens of contemporary sensibility, he will write a new, exciting chapter for this house built on a heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, sophistication, and outstanding human values,” Gobbetti says.
One question remains: will Davis stick to the house codes, or give Ferragamo the London look?
