"PRETTY SIMPLE" IN WSJ MAGAZINE - APRIL 2015 - SALVATORE FERAGAMO WOVEN COTTON DRES - ROCHAS SOCKS / JIMMY CHOO SHOES PH: BEN WELLERTHE ROMANCE OF FASHION - Love fashion? Me too. I've been enamored by the creativity of designer collections, the magic of makeup, and the emotions it all creates in an ad campaign, an editorial shoot, and of course down a runway, for as long as I can remember. Often what we see in those three venues is meant to do just that - Romance us. 
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SPRING 2015 EXIT 2- DARE TO WEAR WHITE KNIT DRESS..Exaggeration on the runway can create an image that stays with us, well , forever. I can remember commercials and magazine covers I saw as a child, which is such a formative experience. This idea is really relevant this month as there are fantastic images of the Salvatore Ferragamo runway collection in the press. Two worth mentioning are not part of production - but they can still start someone dreaming, as it romances the brand for young ladies around the world.
WHITE KNIT DRESS W / FULL SKIRT - $2,750.00 - (ALSO IN BLACK) - * A VACATION STAPLE* Images like this should also start a conversation about all the beautiful things that are available now, or coming soon to your boutique.
After a very long Winter in the North-East (and many parts of the US), refuges of high style are finally peeling off layers and re-acclimating to wearing less - and wearing more fashionable ensembles. While those in Southern California, Arizona, Texas, and Miami never saw snow - it's been a strange few months from coast to coast. It's almost May, and the most beautiful fashion options are just around the corner. Like everything in the world of designer fashion, timing is everything. 
WOVEN LEATHER GANCIO BRACELET - $350.00 Some of the most sophisticated ensembles are just arriving in your boutique - so curating a look is key. While fashion is created in the vacuum of a designer's atelier, once it ships to stores - things go off the catwalk! A great item doesn't necessarily wait for its intended mate to be sold. A great shoe shown on the runway with a showstopper dress, might be destined to flatter a favorite pair of jeans in real life. *This is when a serious salesperson becomes priceless to fashionable clients. Only an associate can plan and coordinate the ultimate wardrobe. Being an advocate for your best clients means you need to know the collections long before they arrive in-store. With the Product Knowledge tools and by studying the runway show, it's a chic puzzle you can piece together. 
THE NEW SOPHISTICATED EMOZIONE- ELEVATE HER FRAGRANCE STORY - $95.00
WICKER PLATFORM WEDGE IN WHITE OR TAN - $675.00
As is always the case - Spring and Summer fashion in stores is a season ahead of what we need now. In May, that means that the chicest looks in Summer White will be arriving any day. while she might not feel tan enough now to wear the whitest white (no smirks and giggles from those in LA,Miami, or places forever sunny) - these pieces need to be bought now and worn later. 
MEDIUM STRAW & CALFSKIN FIAMMA IN WHITE (BLACK) - $2,100.00 By Summer, Fall fashion will be well here. Parkas, not bikinis will be on hand. So call her, text her, however you get in touch - because most Ferragamo styles are understated, luxurious, and sophisticated - three attributes you rarely find in one place today.
*Why not suggest a seasonal fragrance the next time you put together a look. Suggesting Emozione with that latest bag / shoe / dress combination adds another facet to her sparkle. White musk, White Peach, and Bergamot are just three notes in this sensual bouquet.
SMALL GANCIO LOCK SHOULDER BAG IN TAN WOVEN LAMBSKIN -$2,050.00
FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The April issue of WSJ (the very luxurious magazine of The Wall Street Journal) presents quite a vision in white in "Pretty Simple". The simplicity in wearing all white. Styled with cotton socks and black kitten heeled shoes - many of the dresses featured, Salvatore Ferragamo included, are not being produced for Spring - but the photo shoot is a guideline. Think of it as a blueprint. The commercial cotton dress that is available now is much more wearable, and also available in black. The full knit skirt, the sleeveless silhouette, and the open weave details of this knit all make it one to covet! If a white knit dress is not in her future, choose white shoes, a white bag, a leather bracelet - there are white options in every category! Every woman needs at least one piece of "Summer White" in her wardrobe. 
ORANGE KNIT RUNWAY - $2,750.00
OFF THE SHELVES
White really not in her future? Keep the knit the story and give her color - coral for instance. Runway exit 12 is sexy and sophisticated, and paired with earth tone, neutral accessories - she can go anywhere.
ANEMONE SILK SCARF IN CHESTNUT - $430.00 Suggest the Anemone print silk scarf in chestnut, with a structured woven leather handbag. - Ultimate Summer Chic - Garden Party or Summer concert and dinner - she is ready! Exit 12 with a sheer bust and full skirt flatters most in orange, travels well, and can be casual or playful - it's up to you.
The second Salvatore Ferragmo runway look given a full page in a major publication is exit 13. One of the coolest looks in Elle Magazines' "Mix Master" spread shot on the streets of London. The story suggests irreverent combinations of textures, colors, and lengths. Ferragamos fringed tweed dress is shown worn open as a jacket, over pinstripe pants. Again, the look is not being produced- but the idea is excellent. 
FERRAGAMO TWEED DRESS AS JACKET IN ELLE MAGAZINES "MIX MASTER" PH: LIZ COLLINSThe magazine took a look that was not very commercial and made it very editorial. Shown alongside Chanel, Valentino, Prada, Altazurra, and more - this playful presentation of Ferragamo runway just might inspire that next fashion forward trend-setter to walk right into your store! Are you ready for her?
LEGACY OF LUXURY
With the hundreds of fashion brands produced every season, only a handful have a legacy. Fewer still are luxury "HOUSES" of fashion, with a global distribution in namesake boutiques. Building a legacy requires so many ingredients. First there is the vision, because without one a collection is
SALVATORE FERRAGAMO FRINGED TWEED DRESS - SPRING 2015 here today and gone tomorrow. Then there is the funding. Without a literal fortune it would be impossible to create a luxury environment. Let's not forget luck - without a little - most amazing things in life don't happen. Finally, there is time. Time needed for an image to develop, and a brand to emerge or rise to the top. Over time, a legacy is built. I mention this today because of the recent news of the closing of Reed Krakoff's designer collection. There won't be a better example of this magic recipe of creating a legacy anytime soon. Mr. Krakoff has all the money a designer could want, as he created the concept of "affordable luxury" when he transformed Coach from a forgotten American Made leather house, to a global "brand" made in China, with entry level price points. Taking that company public made him a billionaire. When Reed announced he would design a luxury runway colleciton under his own name, feathers on 7th avenue were ruffled. The company enticed executives from major houses like Dior, Chanel, etc to leave those houses to work at Reed Krakoff. Deep pockets were a powerful tool, but ultimately those positions were short lived. Customers didn't see the value in purchasing a hand bag for $4,000.00 from Reed Krakoff when similar bags were available at Coach for $600.00. Why would they? In fact the collection earned the nickname "Coach on Steroids". To be fair, I think the runway collection looked stronger season after season, but it won't have the luxury of time to establish that legacy. *The handbags remain available on the company website as of April 20th.
Take a moment to celebrate the luxury of Salvatore Ferragamo's legacy. All that is stands for, and represents to Men and Women around the world.