For Davis’s debut, Ferragamo took over a former monastery (soon to be a luxury hotel, reportedly) and filled the central courtyard with red sand and covered the porticoes with the same color. The place looked more Valentino than Ferragamo. But red, black, and white are the colors of the Trinidad and Tobago flag, and Davis adopted them for his label — and now Ferragamo. There were beaded cigarette pants in red, with a sheer, sparkling top, as well as a striking mini–coat dress and a long siren dress in suede. A lot of the collection was monochromatic, like the relaxed pantsuit in creamy taupe with a matching lightweight coat that opened the show, and set a mood for youthful polish. In that vein were silk caftans and filmy styles in degrade sunset hues — a nod, Davis said afterward, to Hollywood. He thinks young consumers need to be reeducated about red-carpet glamour.
Maybe, but I would be more curious to see what Davis’s experience as a Mancunian with Caribbean roots has taught him. I thought I glimpsed a difference in some of his menswear, in particular blazers with ultrashort shorts. The collection, while a decent start, needed more personality. Anyone can “do” Hollywood, but only Davis knows his story. Think of the unique perspective that Demna, a native of Georgia in the Soviet era and later a refugee, has brought to fashion. Demna also had years of experience at top houses before he took over Balenciaga and set it on fire. Davis doesn’t have that advantage. And he’s working at a family-owned company that is conservative. Maybe its new chief executive, Marco Gobbetti, formerly of Celine and Burberry, can help let some new truth in, but the results won’t be clear for another few seasons.
