June 15th is here and Spring Sale has begun! During these next few weeks you are sure to see happy shoppers embracing those Spring trends they read about, but were holding off buying due to the psychological "not ready" factor. For all those shoppers, it's now or never! Those items will be going, going, gone - be sure to convey the sense of urgency to your customers (as subtly as you can). Few collections had as much editorial coverage as Ferragamo for Spring 2011 - so use the
13B500-478-976 BORDEAUX / 480-901 BLACK WOOL JERSEY $1,200.00 glossies to your advantage. At the same time, beautiful pre-fall items from every category are arriving daily. What a great way to show clients the first hint of fall. The pre-fall pieces are also totally transitional, so she can be wearing them on cooler Summer days, and well into the Fall. Indian Summer is a perfect reference for many of these looks.
OFF THE SHELVES
The pre-fall and main collections for 2011 Ready-To-Wear can be called Easy-To-Wear. With a cool, laid back mantra of "take it easy", the group is chock full of wearable and sophisticated staples that will be go-to pieces when the Ferragamo Woman is on the go. Be it around town, to lunch, or to an elegant dinner, accessories make these dresses a must have. Tropical weight wool and wool jersey are season-less fabrics and these dresses have small details that deliver great sophistication. The ruching of fabric across the waistline of Look Book #10 & #12 can flatter a less than perfect set of abs! (Just because she doesn't do P90X in her spare time is no reason your customer can't wear a close to the body silhouette). 
13B542-483-866- TROPICAL WOOL - BLACK - $1,550.00The V-Neckline of #10 (pictured Bordeaux - available Black only) is a great choice to accentuate the bustline or perfect to showcase a favorite necklace. Conversely, the Bateau (Boat) Neckline of #12 is perfect for those not wanting to draw as much attention to the bust. The just at the knee length also makes this a very "appropriate" business dress for conservative settings. 
13B636-486-452 - NAVY WOOL JERSEY - $1,100.00 The shoulder and bust detailing of the deep rich navy blue knit dress of Look Book #34 are seductive, while still providing coverage for the more modest. Complimenting the vivid and ironic color combinations on designer runways we saw for Spring, Fall offers some classically chic references. Sexy and sophisticated as we said. Very modern, and very Ferragamo!
LEGACY OF LUXURY
C537 SOFT W - 473-487-TERRACOTTA - $1,490.00There are few designer items more luxurious than a well crafted leather handbag. What was once purely worn for necessity has become the most important fashion accessory in the last 20 years. While shoes and clothing were always important, a handbag was for years an afterthought. Remember, just 15 years ago accessories were rarely even shown on a runway, with the exception of a lit cigarette! While the Ferragamo legacy began with the finest handcrafted shoes in the industry, the reputation of our Made In Italy handbags are near and dear to millions of women around the world. The pre-fall 11 collection has breathtaking examples of this craftsmanship and the timeless and modern feel of a Ferragamo handbag. The iconic W bag continues to evolve with a broader color palette and raw materials.
C245-479-213-CAMEL-$1,650.00The Soft W in Vitello Butter is a bag to be coveted. The buttery soft touch of this French farmed Calfskin is supple with a slight grain to the leather. The Terracotta color has the feel of the afternoon sun of a late summer day - burnt orange, slightly brown tone. This color merchandises perfectly with most items from the Spring RTW collection (and many in the industry). So chic with yellow, green, brown, and of course khaki. The small size is priced at $1,490.00 and is also available in Chocolate Brown, and a limited number in Black. The large size is $1,690.00 and is also available in Terracotta, Brown, and Black. The more structured W is offered in Vacchetta Toscano, a Northern European farmed calfskin. The vegetable tanning gives the skin a slight shine. Available in Camel or Black and priced at $1,650.00 (This skin is less durable than some other calfskin). ** One tip to repair slight scratches on Calf and Lambskin. With your clean, dry finger - you can rub out most surface scratches. The natural oils from your skin reacts with the leather.**
FERRAGAMO TIME
D632-CADY-482-903-$475.00- BLACK, RED, OXBLOODEvery style created by the Ferragamo design team has the DNA of a shoe designed by Salvatore. There is no other archive of shoes as rich as the Ferragamo archives. Of course, no other designer created so many shoes that were as innovative and just plain ahead of their time. The Fall 11 shoe collection has the heritage and elegance that Salvatore first created over 80 years ago. Two examples just arriving for pre-fall have iconic details and complete the story of the "take it easy" theme. Laidback, but well appointed. The signature Ferragamo ornament adorns each of these suede or calfskin pumps and ballerinas. Nappa Leather (European farmed goatskin) is naturally tanned and is soft and supple to the touch. Deep Oxblood is a key color for Fall and offered here. Also not to be missed is the Ultra Red offered here that we splashed in the RTW collection. (An exciting shot of red to throw in to the black and white mix of runway looks to come later). The ruched leather detailing completes the
D388-CONGA-475-229- BROWN, BLACK, OXBLOOD -$450.00 theme from RTW. Another example of how Ferragamo can create iconic references without the use of letters or logos.
A kid suede ballerina with this much detailing priced at $450.00 is one to mention to your customers now! This shoe should be in every working woman's wardrobe as the "after 2 shoe" )That's after 2pm OR after two cocktails - whichever comes first). Offered in Brown, Black, and Oxblood - suggest she buy two - one Black, and one brown or one oxblood to cover all the bases. In fact, she needs three because the shoe is also offered in Mercurio Nappa, which is the ultimate neutral metalic.
We are just starting to paint the palette of Fall 2011. Stay tuned as the best is yet to come from our spectacular Runway show- a highlight of Milan fashion week!