SUMMER IN SEPTEMBER - THE LAST HOLDOUTS

Sunset on the French Riviera - Sunday September 15th 2013OFF THE SHELVES

OVERBOARD IN LUXURY LAND!

With students from pre-school to University just starting the new year, a whole sub-set of the fabulous crowd emerges on the scene.  I pushed my Summer holiday back this year and found myself in the South of France in September.   As I write this, I'm sitting on a friend's terrace that overlooks the sea.  (Thank goodness for wifi and thank goodness for bug spray, as mosquitoes are more universal these days than any fashion brand!)   While the crowds of tourists here have diminished, the temperatures have not.  Just like the East Coast, Mid-West, and many parts of the US, the French Riviera is still hot and sunny.  THE BEAUTIFUL & TALENTED FRENCH ACTRESS MARINE VACTH IN SALVATORE FERRAGAMO RUNWAY JACKET & TURTLENECK - CUFF BY BALENCIAGA AS SEEN IN T-MAGAZINE With the masses back to work, the jet-set are still here playing!  Luxury Yachts filled the harbour last night in St. Tropez.  (We arrived by boat, but ours was the size of a dingy for most of these vessels).  Despite the fact that is mid-September, we had to reserve for dinner and could not get a table at the super chic SALAMA Moroccan Restaurant before 10pm.  SALVATORE FERRAGAMO PINSTRIPES IN M MAGAZINE FOR LE MONDE IN FRANCE Fashion in St. Tropez is always interesting.   Women are dressed, but with a "beachy" flair that says - "I'm chic, but I'm at the beach in September".   A white silk jackets over a printed strapless jump-suits.  Printed silk skirts with an oversized sweater.  A black dress here, a tailored jacket there.   It's less logo here than in Cannes which is more flashy in a "Casino Royale" way, but St. Tropez is right in line with the Ferragamo vibe - Chic, but not shouting about it.   As for me, I kept it simple - white jeans, blue suede loafers (bought in St. Tropez last year), and a super fine steel gray Salvatore Ferragamo Cashmere Sweater.  After dinner it was Ice-cream on the harbour, and then the breezy boat ride home.   It's truly the end of the Summer.  Time to wear all the new Fall Clothes!

I was thrilled to find Salvatore Ferragamo front and center in key fashion editorials in BOTH  T Magazine - available through the Herald Tribune in Europe, and  M Magazine distributed in Le Monde  - the equivalent in France.   The perfect understated / statment fashion item - the pinstripe jacket.   Worn by two very different women, but both looking absolutely beautiful. THE PINSTRIPE ENSEMBLE AS STYLED BY WWW.TRUNKSHOW.FERRAGAMO.COM   In T Magazine, a young French actress Marine Vacth was featured wearing Salvatore Ferragamo collection - Jacket & Turtelneck with a Balenciaga cuff.  In M Magazine  Ferragamo was right on trend on a feature story of "Feminine-Masculine" fashion for Fall!   The jacket from exit 21 and pant from exit 20 are items to collect.   Talk about pinstripes with your customers this Fall.   Even if you are selling shoes, or a bag, talking about clothing trends reminds your client you are a fashion expert and they can trust you to help them look their best!  

FERRAGAMO TIME-ING

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SLEEVELESS SILK DRESS - $2,790.00 - ANIMAL PRINT TIGHTS - WOLFORD - T MAGAZINE FROM THE NY TIMESAs we welcome Fall shoppers back into our boutiques, lets celebrate Massimiliano Giornetti's ability to be on trend when he is planning the Salvatore Ferragamo Runway collections almost a year before they will be seen in stores.   Case in point is showcased in T-Magazine this weekend in Europe.  (The American version was run August 22nd, but the European story ran September 15th).   Wearing bold prints back to black is a major trend for Fall 2013.   Any of you that hosted a Fall 2013 Trunkshow heard Dita, Ashley, or myself talk about wearing opaque tights under short skirts or dresses.   T Magazine took that one step further, wearing the tights purely as a fashion statement.   The silk sleeveless turtleneck dress from runway exit 5 makes a strong statement when worn back to animal print tights by Wolford.  ** The timing of this European release also underscores the wonderful synergy between a Luxury European Fashion House like Salvatore Ferragamo and the American Fashion Press.     Typically, editorial stories start in NYC - shot for American Magazines which are then reprinted or reshot for different editions around the world.   Yet another reason why fashion editors in NYC are crucial to the success of a fashion designer and the collection he or she creates.**

LEGACY OF LUXURY

It is always important to remember what the house of Salvatore Ferragamo stands for in this every changing fashion world.  From the time Salvatore started hand making shoes in Los Angeles in the 1920's - Salvatore Ferragamo has been making original designs with the most luxurious raw materials available in the world. SALVATORE FERRAGAMO CAGE HEEL As collection after collection gets swallowed up by the retailing giants such as Kering (formerly PPR) and LVMH, it is the independent houses like Salvatore Ferragamo, Lanvin, Chanel, Versace, & Ralph Rucci are the true holdouts in the world of luxury fashion.  In July luxury cashmere house Loro Piana was the latest brand to be bought by LVMH.  (It is just a matter of time before small, but significant changes there begin).  The independent brands are creating fashion for fashion's sake.   Collection concepts are born in the design studio, not in the boardroom.   Designers tell the story, not spreadsheets on profit margin by sku.   While there is nothing wrong with creating fashion for profit first and foremost, it just isn't the luxury formula.  Never has been, never will be.   Be proud to be at a house where luxury is in the DNA, as it is more and more rare - season to season.