Well, that's definitely one way to generate buzz! Salvatore Ferragamo, the Italian purveyor of fine silks, handcrafted shoes and Gancini buckles, is bringing in British-Jamaican-Trinidadian designer Maximilian Davis as its new creative director, effective March 16.
Davis only founded his eponymous brand in 2020, but his fashion shows (as part of Lulu Kennedy's Fashion East platform for young designers) have been some of the most talked-about to come out of London Fashion Week, and he's dressed everyone from Dua Lipa to Asap Rocky to Rihanna. Notably, this is the first hire of a young Black designer to lead a European fashion house since Olivier Rousteing, who was 25 when Balmain brought him on as creative director (Davis is 26).
“I am deeply honored to be joining Ferragamo, and grateful for the opportunity to build on the rich and profound heritage of the house," Davis said in a statement. "Ferragamo represents a dedication to timeless elegance and sophistication that I find incredibly inspiring. I’m looking forward to articulating my vision, elevated by the codes of Italian craftsmanship, quality and innovation."
Marco Gobbetti, the Italian CEO who just joined Ferragamo after a stint at Burberry (where he worked alongside Riccardo Tisci, who he hired at Givenchy back in the day), had this to say: “I am delighted to welcome Maximilian at the House of Ferragamo. The clarity of his vision together with the level of execution and his powerful aesthetic make him one of the most brilliant talents of his generation. His work is defined by elegance, refined sensuality, and constant commitment to quality. Through his lens of contemporary sensibility, he will write a new, exciting chapter for this house built on a heritage of creativity, craftsmanship, sophistication, and outstanding human values."
Fashion Twitter erupted over the news, the general consensus being that Davis could add some much-needed fresh and youthful energy to the heritage house. (It was recently overseen by New York-based designer Paul Andrew, who parted ways with the brand about a year ago.) See the best reactions to the news, below.
Oh this is going to be GOOD.https://www.vogue.com/article/maximilian-davis-creative-director-ferragamo\u00a0\u2026— Ah-Niyah Gold (@Ah-Niyah Gold) 1647259166
Salvatore Ferragamo has appointed English Trinidadian-Jamaican designer Maximilian Davis as its Creative Director. Davis made his fashion week debut with in 2021, and his designs have already been seen on Rihanna (pictured here in SS 2022 collection). Congratulations Maximilian!pic.twitter.com/kVN4oaCSIf— Fashion in the Anthropocene (@Fashion in the Anthropocene) 1647265429
Well, that\u2019s a statement of intent @Ferragamo & I like it - Salvatore Ferragamo appoints Maximilian Davis as Creative Director. Born in Manchester, graduated from LCF, Maximilian founded his eponymous brand in 2020 & debuted @fashion_east snapped up by celebs for their sensualitypic.twitter.com/g0hV3pmdrm— Caroline Issa (@Caroline Issa) 1647243734
I\u2019m excited to see what Maximilian does at Ferragamo. Honestly, we\u2019re in for a big treat!— Shelton Boyd-Griffith (@Shelton Boyd-Griffith) 1647267057
Definitely one of the more exciting appointments! Very excited to see where this goes.https://twitter.com/VogueRunway/status/1503353643638083593\u00a0\u2026— Tim Fitzgerald (@Tim Fitzgerald) 1647267260
Crazy how liking a fashion house again can literally only be a matter of creative director, regardless of the house\u2019s own identity— OSA (@OSA) 1647261640
Photography: Lee Whittaker/ Courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo