MFW AW18: Salvatore Ferragamo

ANDROGYNOUS, richly neutral, and clean, the Salvatore Ferragamo AW18 show was a sleek, adaptable, and modern collection for any wardrobe. The men and women looks seemed to merge into one as each look graced the runway. This was expected after Paul Andrew, the new creative director, and Guillaume Meilland, the Ferragamo menswear designer, recently mentioned that they tried and interchanged pieces on both women and men models when crafting the show.  Tailoring was sharp, silhouettes were boxy, and styling was minimalist. 

Ferragamo is a leather house and so it was no surprise that leather was the predominant textile of the collection. Suede trenches and suits were the definite standout pieces. The mass of outerwear in the collection was impressive and showed extreme craftsmanship. Ranging from double-breasted jackets to capes to waistcoats to bombers. All with pristine pockets, clean zips, and perfect flow and structure. Underneath, silk shirts subtly shone as the light caught their movement, as well as sleek cashmere turtlenecks and velvet dresses in an array of colours. The block colour outfits in red, tan and emerald green, to name few, were cleverly placed to break up the colour transition of each look.

Leather gloves were worn on the hands that carried cabin bags, both in the same colour of leather, a nice touch that drew your attention to the varied ways leather had been manipulated. A similar effect was achieved when the coats flapped in the wind to reveal an intricate lining in the most beautiful fabrics and prints. And of course, one couldn’t ignore the array of shoewear the Salvatore Ferragamo AW18 show was presenting.

Andrew, who is known for his shoes, took a refreshing approach to this collection, choosing to place more importance on comfort rather than style, driven by the notion that comfort brings empowerment. Where Andrew pushed the boundaries of shoewear was the choice of textiles, like the green ostrich leather. Block heels were a clear reference to early Ferragamo designs but Paul Andrew added his own touch to the vintage remakes with gold embellishments. The coming together of Paul Andrew and Guillaume Meilland proved successful in the Salvatore Ferragamo AW18 collection and we’re excited to see what the future holds for the design house. 

by Lily Rimmer