Sunday June 24, 2012 – Palazzo Mezzanotte piazza Affari, 6
It doesn’t take a fashion critic to see that Ferragamo’s latest colorful collection looks playfully joyful without any of hint of taking itself too seriously. And maybe that’s for good reason; after Ferragamo’s store opening in New York, a Resort collection bowing at the Louvre, and the hiring of Kate Moss to take over Gisele Bundchen’s spokesmodel duties, it seems as if the Italian fashion house is undergoing its own renaissance moment. Extending that metaphor further to reality, the house of Salvatore is keen on imbuing its creations with a hint of art. For the men’s collection, David Hockney’s works served as the Pantone, with a bit of color blocking that had a Warholian charm.
Unlike last season’s fall collection, creative director Massimiliano Giornetti opted to break from the brand’s classic design codes and dive into new territory, namely sportswear and neoprene. A prime example of this experiment appeared by way of the very first look: a sea-blue caban with carrot-orange buttoned inset and a matching pair of blue fitted trousers and grey sneakers with yellow trim. The follow up was just as bold, as a pumpkin orange trench number with oversized turquoise and white piping pockets took the runway. Clearly this new Ferragamo man was not shy about getting noticed; but Giornettti was keen to take it all down a notch with just enough nods to sportswear and tailoring to make the models look naturally relaxed.
But it wouldn’t be a Ferragamo show without some sleek formalwear and Giornetti did not disappoint. Single breasted suits in orange with blue trim lapels, double breasted jackets in spearmint green, see-through cashmere sweaters overlaid on jacquard ties, and geometric print cardigans looked ideal for the sophisticated urbanite headed to the seashore for a weekend jaunt. Still, the collection was not purely a suit and tie affair, as Massimiliano took liberty to play with art as a concept, incorporating brush stroke stripes across sweaters and shirts, almost as if a painter had purposely left his work in a raw, unedited state. The style was even extended onto suit jackets with entire shoulder areas appearing as if the watercolor paints were still drying on a canvas.
By the last look, one got the sense that Giornetti has sketched out a men’s collection that is as bright and hopeful as the house’s future.
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See the photos below:
Photos courtesy of Ferragamo