GET YOUR FALL ON! - The hottest looks on the season are in stores NOW!

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO FALL 16 RUNWAY SAMPLES - AS SEEN AT THE 5TH AVENUE FLAGSHIP STORE - CLICK PHOTO TO SEE MOREIt might still feel like Summer.. but the hottest Fall fashion from the biggest name in the game are in boutiques now!   If you follow high fashion - make a point to visit your favorite designer stores in the next few weeks.   Pre-Fall collections have been in store for a few weeks, but RUNWAY items are now arriving daily.  Even if your budget doesn't allow for these incredibly detailed fine frocks, there is nothing like seeing them in person.   A handful of the major luxury houses stock runway looks in flagship stores around the US.  In fact, no other country in the world has so many "Flagship" locations from the major designers as the US of A!   Look up the boutique of your favorite brand in cities like San Francisco, Beverly Hills, Costa Mesa (aka South Coast Plaza), Las Vegas, Chicago, Miami (aka Bal Harbour Shops), and of course - New York.  Those are the towns most likely to receive runway.  Beverly Hills and New York are definites.

Fall 2016 is bringing SO much color from the major houses.  Go now and see them in person, you might just find your next favorite bag, shoe, or belt that can turn your own Fall favorites into fashion statements this season.

THESE BOOTS ARE MADE FOR STRUTTING... BOTTEGA VENETA SUEDE

BOTTEGA VENETA MEN'S LACE UP SUEDE BOOTS - $820.00Suede Boots with jeans.. always in style.  When they come from a luxury house like Bottega Veneta - how can you resist.  With the detailed craftmanship, range of colors, clean lines, and a truly comfortable fit - STEELGRAY SUEDE MEN'S BOOTS FROM BOTTEGA VENETA - $820.00these are sure to become a favorite for you, or any guy in your life..  These are a must have for any guy that appreciates style and likes to dress.  Lace up or pull on... you can't go wrong.  Lace ups available in three colors and pull-ons in five.SUEDE PULL ON BOOTS FROM BOTTEGA VENETA - $820.00

Both styles retail for $820.00 and available on the Bottega Veneta Website.   Click images to shop. 

HOLLYWOOD GLAMOUR REBORN - Salvatore Ferragamo unveils Rodeo Drive flagship remodel

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SPRING 2016 WELCOMES SHOPPERS TO THE BEVERLY HILLS BOUTIQUE ON RODEO DRIVE PH: Jason Jobson2016 is a curious moment in the world of luxury fashion.  So many brands are becoming satellites under the umbrella of much larger conglomerates.SALVATORE FERRAGAMO FLAGSHIP FACADE - BEVERLY HILLS PH: Courtesy of Ferragamo  Each to some extent filling a niche, to round out a portfolio of sorts.  It is a new way to look at luxury in comparison to the artists and artisans who first started hand makingSILVER & GOLD ACCESSORIES SPARKLE ON RODEO DRIVE PH: Jason Jobson these good over one hundred years ago.   While the desire for great wealth might have been the inspiration ARCHITECT WILLIAM SOFIELD PRESENTS HIS FERRAGAMO VISION ON RODEO DRIVE PH: Jason Jobsonfor craftsman that created luxury goods of years past, cost cutting and profit margin study was never the guiding principle which we now see as the rule at these luxury groups. 

A trend that seems to have rippled through the fashion world is the desire for modernist designs both in products and in the interior design of these luxury boutiques.  Important to remember, fashion boutiques serve one purpose - to sell merchandise.  We can argue that there is more to it than that, as in introducing the brand image, romancing future and current clients, elevating the product through display, however all of those tasks all lead back to selling merchandise.  Without sales, there is no brand.SALVATORE FERRAGAMO FLAGSHIP WINDOWS - RODEO DRIVE PH: Jason Jobson

One house that recently invested heavily in celebrating the history and brand legacy of it's namesake designer is Salvatore Ferragamo.  Ferragamo is the artisan that invented the category of designer shoes.  Creating shoes for the leading ladies of Hollywood in the 1920's at the start of the Hollywood Studio system, Salvatore would go on to design custom shoes for just about every leading lady of Hollywood and NY society.   After a decade in sunny California, Ferragamo would return to Italy and create the House of Ferragamo in Florence.  

In celebration of the 100 anniversary of Salvatore's work in Hollywood, the house turned to company archives and the glamour of Hollywood when renovating the flagship boutique on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.  Turning to Ultra-Luxe Architect William Sofield of Studio Sofield to bring this dream to life in 2016, the brand set out to romance clients and remind them that Salvatore had a savoir-faire and passion for design seldom seen in that time or since.  William Sofield has designed luxury residences, retail stores, and hotels around the world.  Perhaps best known for his work with Tom Ford creating the look of Gucci boutiques under Ford's tenure, and later in Tom Ford's own eponymous boutiques.  THE FERRAGAMO MEN'S SHOE SALON - RODEO DRIVE PH: Jason Jobson

Using rich details like Marble, Aluminum, Straw Marquetry, and leathers, Sofield Studio created a space that Ferragamo himself could have met with Marilyn Monroe, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO WITH A SELECTION OF LASTS OF HIS FAMOUS CLIENTS PH: courtesy of FerragamoMarlene Dietrich, or Eva Peron all those years ago.  Today the Creative Director of the house - Massimiliano Giornetti welcomed the ladies of Hollywood today like Kelly Lynch and Demi Moore when the boutiques re-opening party shut down Rodeo Drive in September 2015.

Not to be overlooked is the handsome men's department Sofield designed for Ferragamo that feels like a social club most men wish they were members up.  Comfortable club chairs in dark oxblood leather surround a mantle that would make anyone want to pull up a chair and spend some time.

While in recent years the Ferragamo boutiques had the cleanest and most modern design details, this newest incarnation is a love letter to the Beverly Hills of yesterday - showcasing fashion designs of today and tomorrow.  Tourists and local residents alike have been positively charmed when shopping in the new boutique.  The magic of the era is hard to resist, and of course Ferragamo quality, design, and Made In Italy craftmanship are hypnotic on their own! MASSIMILIANO GIORNETTI CELEBRATES THE RE-OPENING OF THE FERRAGAMO BOUTIQUE ON RODEO DRIVE WITH DEMI MOORE AND DAUGHTERS PH: Courtesy of Ferragamo

If you're planning a trip to Los Angeles, make sure you visit Beverly Hills and the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique.  Even if designer shoes are not in your budget, fall in love with a silk scarf, a bottle of fragrance, or anything that bears the name of this Italian legend. 

For more information - click over to Salvatore Ferragamo for more information on all things Ferragamo.

SAKS 5th Avenue says YES to the Dress!

Ladies looking for an important dress for a big event know that department store shopping is usually the way to go.  Unless you know a specific brand that fits you well, such as Salvatore Ferragamo (known by designer shoppers as a fantastic dress destination) or Versace, then shopping a store with multiple brands makes much more sense.   While most department stores will carry a big variety of dresses, there is one store that has been a destination for evening looks for decades - Saks 5th Avenue.   Saks has invested in the designer salon for as long as they have been in business since the early 1900's.  The store is as much a source for the latest luxury designs from the US and Europe today as it was over 100 years ago.   I'd choose SAKS as the best destination also because of the number of locations the company has around the country.   With 39 fully stocked stores in 22 states - it's easy to see how they have strength in numbers when purchasing designer collections.  

The store speaks for itself.  I cut through the 5th Avenue flagship early one morning last week and was stopped in my tracks by these lovely ladies - hanging out in the Fine Jewelry Department (another historic department for Saks).

#LadiesWithAnAttitude at @saks on a hot Summer morning...not so #LittleBlackDress #Gowns #Fashion

A photo posted by JasonJobson (@jasonjobson) on Jul 26, 2015 at 8:19am PDT

21st CENTURY TRUNK SHOW AT SALVATORE FERRAGAMO

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO VIRTUAL TRUNKSHOW - SPRING 2014 - THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING IN A FASHION BOUTIQUEDesigner Trunk Shows are an American tradition that helped to establish U.S. as the marketplace for luxury goods after WWII.  In fact, the U.S. shopper and the Trunk Show helped create the fashion world as we know it today.   American socialites and celebrities were privy to exclusive previews of next season's fashion months before the items were offered to the public.  Oftentimes, the same items worn on the runway were sent directly to the stores for the preview event.  These advance reserves, and even advance purchases helped department stores and the fashion houses budget accordingly and forecast their business with guaranteed sales commitments. 

SALVATORE FERRAGAMO SPRING 2014 COLLECTION PREVIEWFast forward half a century and the most luxurious fashion brands generate millions of dollars every season by hosting these preview events for the elite shoppers in their flagship locations.   Cities like San Francisco, Chicago, & New York are no strangers to these often "invitation only" events.   Of course Beverly Hills like NYC was where these events were born.  Exclusive shopping destinations like South Coast Plaza in Southern California, The American Manhasset on Long Island in NY, and the Bal Harbour Shops in Miami are ground zero for this pastime and passion of the richest women in the world.

Italian Luxury Goods house Salvatore Ferragamo has a history with these elite shoppers.   Salvatore invented the concept of the designer shoe decades ago as his immigration from rural southern Italy to Southern California would change the world of footwear forever.   Inventing (and patenting) many of the most worn shoe shapes worn by women - from the platform to the stiletto - Ferragamo became the shoemaker to the stars and to the society women that the world of luxury fashion was created to dress. 

Today, 100 years since Salvatore came to America as a young man, the global empire that now bears his name is taking the Trunk Show experience in the 21st century.   Just as Salvatore Ferragamo was ahead of his time and a visionary, the powers that be steering his legacy have a modern vision that also respects the rich history of this truly inconic fashion house.CREATING YOUR LOOK IN JUST A FEW CLICKS AT WWW.TRUNKSHOW.FERRAGAMO.COM

In addition to hosting physical Trunk Shows in key flagship stores around the country, Ferragamo has also invente an on-line partner to the in-store experience.   Shoppers that visit www.TrunkShow.Ferragamo.com can view the entire collection available for purchase in a variety of ways.   Clicking through the collection can view a 360 degree view of items worn on a model, view the images from the Runway Show, and what I think is the most fun part - create your own outfit with a 21st century paper doll tool.   Simply click on shoes, bags, and clothing to instantly view the combination on the body.   Then with a click -change your mind, remix, and redress this virtual you - without ever having to take off your own shoes ( that is if you are even dressed!).  I don't care if you grew up with Barbies or Bratz - who can resist paper dolls?

Of course, any luxury goods are best seen in person so you can touch and feel and actually try them on.  However if you are very busy, or don't live so close to a Ferragamo boutique - the trunk show website is an excellent way to learn about the collection before you visit a store.   With over 650 boutiques globally, I challenge any reader to tell me they don't live near a Salvatore Ferragamo fashion experience!  ** The Ready-To-Wear is only available in Ferragamo boutiques - a true luxury detail **

click over now to experience the Salvatore Ferragamo Spring 2014 Collection.