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Fashion Insider:
Craft and Art

By 5 April 2019 No Comments

Excellent leather-making techniques and passion
for arts make Salvatore Ferragamo
a favourite for fashion lovers forever and always

STORY

TAWAN KONKAEW

PHOTOGRAPHY

COURTESY OF BRANDS

Paul Andrew and Guillaume Meilland are behind the creation of Salvatore Ferragamo’s Spring/Summer 2019 menswear and womenswear collections. The wardrobe evokes the utilitarianism of workwear in contrast with the noble luxury of the finest raw materials and finishings. Bold colours — emerald, Caribbean blue, violet, burnt orange and flame red — punctuate a neutral palette of biscuit, khaki-fatigue, parchment and off-white. A lush botanical print originating from the Ferragamo foulard library is reimagined. A woven motif appears handwoven in leather, in open stitch knitwear and as a print throughout the collection. Linens and organzas juxtaposed with precious skins create a dialogue of substance and levity.  

The classic Vara shoes are reinterpreted
with an upgraded bow, from grosgrain to moulded metal

Paul Andrew says: “Alongside Guillaume, I’m working to make a Salvatore Ferragamo that not only appeals to all generations but also acts as a point of connection between them. The soul of this house lies in the artistic and technical genius of Salvatore’s shoe designs — his genius never gets old — and that is where we started with this collection.”  

Shoes are Salvatore Ferragamo’s origin and the foundation of this collection. The classic Vara shoes are reinterpreted with an upgraded bow, from grosgrain to moulded metal. The knee-high boots, raised sandals and desert boots are all uppered in handwoven leather. For each pair of boots, a Ferragamo artisan must spend 16 hours weaving 330 metres of nappa with precision and skill. The sculptured stacked leather heel of an archival net-uppered Salvatore sandal is reimagined in harmony with a boldly simple karung upper. Platform sole mules feature the All Gancini monogram. An archival Salvatore Ferragamo shoe that deployed four lengths of twisted terry as an upper is recast in foulard print, linen and nappa.

For each pair of boots, a Ferragamo artisan must spend 16 hours weaving 330 metres of nappa with precision and skill

The bags in this collection are not to be taken lightly. Bags include the new All Gancini monogram fabrication Ferragamo Studio bag and a versatile wallet/microbag featuring Gancini hardware. Meanwhile, Ferragamo shoulder bags are updated with rich Tuscan-sunset colourways and silk screened patterns perfect for the summer season.

Belts are a must for fashion-forward people. In this collection, the belts for both men and women come with the iconic Gancini buckle in a lighter and slimmer design, making them more wearable. For eyewear, women’s glasses are in cat’s eye shape with karung-skin and the brand’s logo.  

It has been over a century since Salvatore Ferragamo opened his shoe-making business in 1914, but his brand has continued to thrive and stay relevant after all these years.