OFF THE RUNWAY
If it's Fall 2013 in the real world, then it's Spring 2014 in the Fashion World! Editors, Buyers, and Fashion fanatics the world over descend on NY, Milan, & Paris every late September - early October to see what trends women will be wearing for the following year or two. As fast fashion brands like H&M, Zara, & Uniqlo become more and more relevant with fashionable shoppers - the inspiration created on designer runways becomes even MORE relevant than years past. The trends luxury collections like Salvatore Ferragamo, CHANEL, & Bottega Veneta set today - trickle down and down for the next two, three, and even four collections later. (Hounds-tooth items inspired by the Ferragamo Fall 2011 are being shown by designers this season!).
Spring 2014 has several trends apparent.. magically (?) similar style details emerge from the most creative minds in the industry. Once again, Massimiliano Giornetti is on track and on trend with his instincts of what should be coming in the year ahead. Navy remains a strong color reference. Mixed with black and also worn back to a mix of blue shades. Bottom line - it flatters most women and is appropriate for most events.
Pleats are the detail du-jour. With pleated skirts on the chicest runways in all fashion capitals, Ferragamo gave women some of the most wearable versions.
Optic Print Tank Dresses - easy to layer, high on style, and even easier to pack.
Playful Proportions - cropped details, long over short, short over long - designers have convinced women to be playful with length. A mix of the 80's futuristic spirit and Thom Browne's Revenge of the Nerds styling has now permeated the fashion world. Nothing is too short. Sleeves are any length. It's truly whatever you can pull off - that's fashion today.
Masculine / Feminine. - Menswear tailoring remains one of the most interesting references for women right now. The sexiest girls of the moment are more pixie than vamp. The "Party Dress" girl of Oscar de la Renta seems to have stayed a bit too long at the party.... her cooler sister in a pinstripe blazer and black cropped trousers is already at the after-party.
PARTY TIME
While models strutted down the runways, the fashion crowd celebrated the re-opening of the Ferragamo boutique on Milan's most fashion address - Via Montenapoleone. As the Wall Street Journal reported on Monday, luxury brands spent the last 10 years opening boutiques faster than they could fill them. In the last 3 years, established brands like Ferragamo, Gucci, & Hermes have been renovating the already existing key location doors. Smaller volume brands like Fendi, and Moncler have been busy opening relocating and reopening stores in hotter locations. Salvatore Ferragamo has been ahead of the retail curve for over 50 years. You can't name a major market that doesn't have a Ferragamo Boutique. That is fashion relevance!
Francesca Eastwood, Frida Pinto, and Karolina Kurkova were on hand to help Massimiliano celebrate the beautifully renovated boutique, and the Spring 2014 collection!
Six thousand miles away in San Fransciso, the coolest crowd from the city by the bay (and many who flew in from LA and NYC) celebrated Ferragamo's impending boutique renovation / expansion as they toasted C Magazine's new C Social Front platform - a dedicated who's who of the stylish set in San Fran. Guests were blown away by designer Ken Fulk's Jazz Age themed makeover of his loft-like brick warehouse in celebration of Ferragamo and C Magazine. Socialites Vanessa Getty and Susan Casden of LA were on hand. Ms. Casden is a regular at the Couture shows in Paris and one of the biggest Chanel customers in the world.. by the way!
FERRAGAMO TIME
September in Paris - With the French Spring shows happening as I type this, Elle Magazine gave a perfect love letter to the city of light... a photo editorial titled "Before Sunrise" - a girl out on the town with hot looks for after dark. While Paris was the scene, Salvatore Ferragamo was one of the hottest looks in the spread. It seems that showing the Resort collection at the Louvre Museum last year has forever made an Italian impression on fashion editors. - How Chic! Now.. does your client have a beret?
LEGACY OF LUXURY
Campaign Watch Fall 2014
Let us take a moment to celebrate and appreciate the gorgeous Salvatore Ferragamo adverstising campaign for Fall 2013. Shot by photographer David Simms, supermodel Daria Werbowy returns to bring a sexy, elegant sense of style that is the Ferragamo woman. This campaign speaks to the DNA of the brand - luxury items that flatter the women that wear them. In a season where it can be a challenge to find a pretty image in advertising, Salvatore Ferragamo is a beacon of style. Let's take a look at a few that might need a bulb changed!
Prada - I don't think I'll ever understand Miucca Prada. I've always said she does not like women - otherwise why would she do what she does to these ladies in print? For Fall, at first glance I thought she was going for sexy. But on second thought, these girls looks like survivors of a water landing in the Hudson River. Are these left over images from the Les Miserable story boards? The women are gorgeous, it's the styling that is horrendous.
CHANEL - It seems Mr. Lagerfeld was channeling Janet and Michael Jackson's Scream video from 1995, but also with a nod to American designer Betsy Johnson? I don't know. I must admit, I"m confused here. With Karl you never know who he is making fun of.
Marc Jacobs - I know photographer Juergen Teller has made his name shooting awkward images of non-traditional models... but now it seems he is trying to find unflattering angles of these girls. Is this luxury? Does Marc care?
Celebrate Beauty with the Salvatore Ferragamo Fall Collection. Artisanal hands create every piece of merchandise that fills your boutique.
That's the legacy of Salvatore Ferragamo.