Like the Ferragamo fashion house, the Italian city of Florence is one of constant rebirth and evolution. Titled “Ferragamo’s New Renaissance,” creative director Maximillian Davis’ new Fall/Winter 2023 campaign fuses a dialogue between the brand’s past and present, working in partnership with acclaimed Le Gallerie degli Uffizi to reconnect with Florence’s tradition of beauty and innovation.
"The Renaissance is hardwired into Florence, and Florence is hardwired into Ferragamo. At this time of a new beginning at the house, it made perfect sense to reclaim the cradle of the Renaissance as our spiritual home, and to harness the deep, artistic spirit of this city to showcase the new collection,” Davis said.
In Davis’ creative vision, members of Ferragamo are imagined “as timeless protagonists of masterpiece paintings from the Italian Renaissance.” 15th and 16th-century artworks at the Uffizi are used as the setting for Ferragamo’s new work, creating a juxtaposition between past eras and future generations by placing his muses, adorned in richly textured fabrics, bold materials and colors, alongside the history of the Renaissance.
Salvatore Ferragamo, born in the village of Bonito in the Italian region of Campania, reinvented himself many times over. Learning to make footwear starting at the age of 12, he later brought his talent to Hollywood’s film stars with his store in the United States. When he returned the company to Italy, Florence was the obvious choice for a home city.
Known for ushering in a period of intense creativity and new ideas, the birth of the Renaissance took place in Florence, returning Europe to a period of artistic and cultural innovation. Palazzo Spini Feroni, the 1927 Florence home of Ferragamo, was evidence of this journey, taking inspiration from the Florentine bottega, a studio where master craftsmen and Renaissance intellectuals engaged in the exchange of ideas to develop their art.
The clientele that wore Salvatore’s Florence collections included the likes of Audrey Hepburn, Greta Garbo, Sophia Loren, Lauren Bacall, Marilyn Monroe and Eva Perón. Today, the palazzo is still the home of the brand’s headquarters, connected with a modern museum that pays homage to the story of Ferragamo.
Photographer Tyler Mitchell captures Davis’ ready-to-wear collection, evoking a sensual, elegant and sophisticated feel. Ferragamo’s Hug bag and archive inspired gold sandals, for example, are paired alongside works by Bellini, Veronese and Botticelli.
Globally recognized as one of the finest art galleries in the world, the Uffizi gallery was central to the heart of the Florentine Renaissance. Starting as an office for the Grand Duke of Tuscany Cosimo I de' Medici in 1569, it opened its gallery to the public in 1769. Today, it is a museum overlooking the Arno River, home to masterpieces of Renaissance art including those of Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raffaello, Michelangelo and Caravaggio.
Davis’ new campaign illustrates Ferragamo’s timelessness as a brand, bringing centuries of luxury fashion innovation together. Shoppers can visit Ferragamo in the Miami Design District at 115 NE 39th Street from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 - 6 p.m. on Sunday.
