Maximilian Davis - Designer, Creative Director of Ferragamo

[rowjellies]

When you look at what their bestsellers are on Saks, it’s almost all really conservative styles the house has been making before Davis.

The Studio Box Bag, The Vara Pumps, The Varina Quilted Ballet Flats. The Wool Capes. Loafers.

There’s a disconnect between what Davis is designing vs what the clients are buying.

 

[Drusilla_]

while I like that MD has a strong point of view, I actually don't get why he's ignoring the Ferragamo classic shoes right when ballet flats have been hot again? Seems like limited thinking to me.

Every johnny-come-lately brand is making hay off far uglier ballet flat designs and here you have an OG brand and their marketing studiously ignoring their far longer history with those shoes AND the fact that they've been a Ferragamo bestseller for decades.

 

[LadyJunon]

SS25 tomorrow:

 

[TomBlanksFullFatMiuMiu]

Lotta's influence with the ballet flats? zzzzzzzz

 

[rowjellies]

Ballet inspired “Ballet” flats

I already hate it 🙄

 

[Olaffo]

He better pull this off!

I still stand by what I said about ballet inspired fashion shows - ban for 25 years.

 

[eugenius]

I'm hopeful for him. When I see his collections, I see a collection of stylish clothes, but I also see looks that don't seem fully developed. I can't tell if it's because of his own creative prowess and/or lack of experience, or maybe he doesn't have the right team & support with him...or both. Who knows?

Just outta curiosity, does anybody know what the consensus is on Ferragamo footwear nowadays? Years and years ago, I bought a pair of black oxfords, w/ the most perfectly-shaped toe box, and I wore the eff out of them religiously, and I can certainly attest that they were worth every penny I spent on 'em, but I don't know if the quality is still the same now.

 

[Drusilla_]

I'm hopeful for him. When I see his collections, I see a collection of stylish clothes, but I also see looks that don't seem fully developed. I can't tell if it's because of his own creative prowess and/or lack of experience, or maybe he doesn't have the right team & support with him...or both. Who knows?

Just outta curiosity, does anybody know what the consensus is on Ferragamo footwear nowadays? Years and years ago, I bought a pair of black oxfords, w/ the most perfectly-shaped toe box, and I wore the eff out of them religiously, and I can certainly attest that they were worth every penny I spent on 'em, but I don't know if the quality is still the same now.

afaik they're the only luxury (with stores worldwide etc) brand that does different widths for their shoes. I have five pairs of Varas in leather/patent leather/suede and quality-wise, they're def ahead of pretty much any other big-name brand. Like in the world of non-sneaker shoes Ferragamos are among the most comfortable you can get, even if the design is a touch conservative but I don't mind that, a shape that's been a constant over 50 years doesn't need extra details or more height added in the name of being 'edgy'.

That said, I think they really missed out by not promoting their classic shoes more during the ballet flat/loafer moment, that Miu Miu copy was not it and just shows a lack of adaptability to MD's vision.

 

[proseccotabis]

very late to the party. been following MDs work for Ferragamo since he started there. Dont understand how he's still working there. yes, the collections are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but we are all very WELL aware these clothes need to be commercially successful. influencers wear them all over our ig feeds, yes, but why are such low sales are actively sweeped under the rug? infuriating to say the least as its clearly an iconic brand

 

[jeremydante]

very late to the party. been following MDs work for Ferragamo since he started there. Dont understand how he's still working there. yes, the collections are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but we are all very WELL aware these clothes need to be commercially successful. influencers wear them all over our ig feeds, yes, but why are such low sales are actively sweeped under the rug? infuriating to say the least as its clearly an iconic brand

I honestly feel like they are investing time and pace with Max. He's their first new school talent of his kind at the house, to build it meaningfully takes time. He's done beautiful work, but his dominance doesn't quite translate to retail. The stores are still in their original format from what I have seen. It needs to feel like a movement when a new talent arrives. Outside of changing the label, you need to give global retail operations a facelift, or at least a bit of filler haha.

Max is good, the collections- IMO, are pretty strong to indicate a lead-in to the future.
Patience is forgotten in our modern work of insta-internet-gratification. @proseccotabis

 

[Lola701]

very late to the party. been following MDs work for Ferragamo since he started there. Dont understand how he's still working there. yes, the collections are aesthetically pleasing to the eye, but we are all very WELL aware these clothes need to be commercially successful. influencers wear them all over our ig feeds, yes, but why are such low sales are actively sweeped under the rug? infuriating to say the least as its clearly an iconic brand

Maybe because the issue is not the clothes…
Ferragamo’s bread and butter is not the clothes but shoes and accessories. And between the rise in pricing and the lack of direction from the suits (who aren’t aligning the Creative direction with the merchandising) it’s tough to see a success.

You go to a Ferragamo boutique or website, you have the feeling that two directions are trying to co-exist in the same brand.

And why is he still there? Because Gobbetti chose him and has some sort of loyalty, which is admirable.

 

[proseccotabis]

Maybe because the issue is not the clothes…
Ferragamo’s bread and butter is not the clothes but shoes and accessories. And between the rise in pricing and the lack of direction from the suits (who aren’t aligning the Creative direction with the merchandising) it’s tough to see a success.

You go to a Ferragamo boutique or website, you have the feeling that two directions are trying to co-exist in the same brand.

And why is he still there? Because Gobbetti chose him and has some sort of loyalty, which is admirable.

They very actively push RTW though - hence why it’s weak AF. I’ve been to the store… it’s painful

 

[Lola701]

They very actively push RTW though - hence why it’s weak AF. I’ve been to the store… it’s painful

Everytime I’m comfronted to Ferragamo, I actually like it. The thing is that, I wouldn’t pay that price for Ferragamo. So I wonder who is their clientele because the old clientele seems to have the old designs with the bows and the new clientele is supposed to buy the Davis stuff. But neither of those clientele will pay those prices.

You are asking why Davis is there. I would go further and ask why Gobbetti and Davis are there because it’s obvious that the owners are not fully supporting the vision. It’s a mess!

 

[tourbillions]

Same thing is happening to them that is happening in Burberry. The suits both over estimated the buying power of their clients.

 

[PDFSD]

sure pricing don't align with the luck warm hype (pushed or manufactured on social )
desire is not big enough to warrant the shift to fully support spending on Davis vision of Ferragamo same thing happened at Burberry

even when Hedi took over celine or YSL even there was this transition period of old best sellers or core product same at gucci with alessandro or ancora etc etc its normal its not because suits dont support they can only jump fully on it when they see traction pick up.

even at LV you have classic items till today that are pre NG and are not his total vision either and these bring in also the money.

10000 % if davis had a strong vision that translated into big hype and actual sales, the transformation would have been supported more fully and seen on all levels.

Like i mentioned what is an issue at tods now as well supper modern celine like for these classic italian houses don't work as well or easy for the core client and there can only be so many the rows or Bottega´s and phoebe's & co to catch the same modern clients.

On product level Davis is just not doing enough to have a big shift he should be happy that they give him so many years to figure it out but every season had another stylist and his voice is just not strong nor clear (yet or never will )

that's the problem with all the empty modern Phoebe bis designers, if you don't have a cultural impact or story to tell it's just empty & merch.

and why i have some reservations with new the Chanel boy as well but lets see. (ofcourse he is way more creative than Davis but also lacks clear point of view )

 

[style_expert]

Like i mentioned what is an issue at tods now as well supper modern celine like for these classic italian houses don't work as well or easy for the core client and there can only be so many the rows or Bottega´s and phoebe's & co to catch the same modern clients.

that's the problem with all the empty modern Phoebe bis designers, if you don't have a cultural impact or story to tell it's just empty & merch.

I agree, it's not so much that MD is untalented but it's a completely wrong positioning of Ferragamo from the very start of his appointment.

Even though it's mostly in footwear, there is actually a pretty interesting history of the Ferragamo brand which is completely unused now it seems. More decorative and frivolous, more Italian, more extravagant and daring but still elegant, the Ferragamo shoe archive is pretty incredible. Nothing of that in the current brand DNA! Ferragamo now stands for absolutely nothing unique.

There is a whole world of clients who may not be drawn to Phoebe, The Row, Jil Sander, or whatever new derivative is currently on the market in that subdued space. In fact, the majority of luxury clients are still outside that sphere. But even outside that space you need to capture them with a clear brand DNA...so good luck to Ferragamo in re-defining that once again after erasing it.