In lieu of a live runway show, Salvatore Ferragamo's autumn/winter 2022 collection was presented through a combination of a short film as well as an exhibition of sorts. The main reason? The Florentine luxury house is still in the middle of a creative restructuring. Former creative director Paul Andrew officially stepped down in May 2021 and the autumn/winter 2022 collection was designed by an in-house design team.
But that's not to say that the collection wasn't any good. In fact, it felt concise. And clever.
There were still inflections of Andrew's time at the house—modern tailoring nuances that never felt stuffy, as well as the use of colour-blocking to elevate textures. There was only one menswear look that featured a suit but done in a rakish manner where it was paired with a cropped gilet that was barely visible. Everything else were knits done in various forms and treatments that remained elegant while exuding that casual air felt throughout the collection. The constructions and fabrications looked luxurious in the same way such treatments would typically be used for more evening formalities. But here, adapted for more casual pieces. It does beg the question if luxury could only applicable for more elaborate pieces. Or could even something as mundane as a cardigan be as luxurious?
It perhaps is difficult to judge the collection solely because there wasn't a certain persona steering the wheel this time around. But as 'fillers' go, the Salvatore Ferragamo autumn/winter 2022 collection was pretty solid. It may or may not be the idea moving forward once a creative director is put in place, but the exploration of luxury in 'normal' garments felt fresh.
Look and feel: There was a simplicity in silhouette that further showcased the luxurious quality of each garment. Nothing felt exaggerated or designed for the sake of coming up with a new silhouette. Everything was kept pared back with a tighter focus on fabrication and the overall feel of the garments. It's casual fashion but done in a non-casual fashion.
Turtlenecks were extended to become balaclava hoods—almost like the top-half of a cosy long john—while coordinated loungewear and boilersuits replaced straight-laced suiting. Salvatore Ferragamo's Gancini motif were included as clever motifs in some looks and along the sides of footwear, but especially brilliantly interpreted as quilting underneath parkas.
Favourite looks: The ruched knit tunic in look 6 was as unconventional as the collection got. It was paired with a pair of black trousers and chunky footwear for a subtle juxtaposition and then contrasted even more with a massive green leather tote bag. Then there's look 24 that was executed in a similar earthy palette, consisting of a leather-trimmed jacket worn with straight-legged trousers tucked into combat boots. The panel of leather that made up the collar of the jacket (slightly exaggerated but not too much) held its own and ensured that the jacket didn't feel completely too slouchy.
And lastly, there's the super classic knit and wide-cut trouser combination of look 32. The details on the jumper were so intricately executed, resulting in a sort of disorganised pattern that contrasted so beautifully against the more subdued pairings.
Favourite accessories: It's hard to ignore the roomy leather totes that the models were carrying and held onto by just one of the top handles. The were left open wide enough for a full display of just how spacious each tote was. And also just how soft the leather used in making them was. If there's one roomy autumn/winter 2022 tote to lust after, that would certainly be on the top of the list.
