Salvatore Ferragamo made his name outfitting Hollywood in fabulous footwear, both on screen and off. So it made sense that the brand would once again look to its cinematic roots to find a virtual alternative for the spring ‘21 season.
They found the answer in Luca Guadagnino, the critically acclaimed filmmaker whose works like “Call Me By Your Name” and “I Am Love” are filled with memorable, color-saturated style moments. For Ferragamo’s spring ‘21 collection, the Italian director created a short film with models-as-actors in a dramatic mise-en-scene where the brand’s signature footwear was the actual star.
Models like Mariacarla Boscono donned Vara flats and sling backs that click-clacked on marble and granite floors in various locations around Milan, whole orchestral music approached its cinematic climax.
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Turns out, creative director was influenced by another famous filmmaker for the collection: Alred Hitchcock. “This spring, stuck at home, I rewatched classic Hitchcock,” Andrew said in the show notes. “In the past, watching those movies has always felt like inhabiting a surreal and strange world. But watching them during lockdown was different: they felt like “real life” because “real life” itself had suddenly become so strange, surreal and oddly beautiful.” It was only after the show that the pre-show screeching of birds through the loudspeaker made sense. So did the elaborate virtual reality glasses that the brand shipped to the attendees who couldn’t watch IRL.
It was only after the 20-minute film ended that the full collection was revealed, on a traditional runway, outside at the usual Ferragamo show location, at the Rotonda della Besana. While the brand has hosted outdoor runway show many times, this time around it felt unnecessary with Guadagnino’s film still echoing.
What ended up being the most cinematic part of the collection was, naturally, the shoes. With a high covered vamp, some with an odd square toe, others an almond shape, and cantilevered pedestal heel, the footwear was at once vintage and futuristic, like something out of “The Jetsons.” It makes sense, since the heels have their own archival history: They are each a take on Ferragamo’s famous F-wedge.
