Maximilian Davis' Fetish For Research For Ferragamo Spring/Summer 2024
Maximilian Davis rethinks Italian tailoring for Ferragamo Spring/Summer 2024 in which even the details become unpredictable.
"Fetishism is inherent in the DNA of my work. There's something very modern about wanting to incorporate it into your everyday life and wardrobe," explains Maximillian Davis, creative director of Ferragamo, who presented his latest Spring/Summer 2024 show.
Continuing to edit and enhance the trademarks of the Italian brand, Davis expresses his research by mixing Italian and Caribbean codes. As stated in the show notes, the collection is inspired by the Italian Arte Povera movement, the juxtapositions of natural materials with industrial elements to create contemplation in the observer.
"I wanted each element to feel much lighter, not only because of the fabrics and constructions, but also to match the way people actually want to dress," Davis said per the show notes. "There is a feeling of familiarity that I recognize in the Italian way of dressing and living: a naturalness very close to the Caribbean spirit. It's the idea of always being able to follow your own rhythm and time."
Everything is converted into a Spring/Summer 2024 collection in which the Italian cult of tailoring is exalted, which is sharply austere, with dynamic slits that reveal the body, aerodynamic male and female suits that come to life with the movement of the body. "I wanted to create pure, sincere, honest garments, with a clear identity that made them recognizable and at the same time fascinating from a tactile point of view," Davis said.
The materials are organic and sophisticated, with a sampling of minimalist colors: light blue sky, Ferragamo red, saturated green, and neutrals.
Harrington jackets with a utilitarian flavor, long draped jersey dresses, and dresses with shimmering leather bustiers reminiscent of Renaissance armor, are on show. Tailored leather in an effortless key, with natural imperfections that enhance the organic nature of the material. The study of accessories is obsessive: from rectangular maxi clutches in crocodile, bold belts, to bold necklaces that support airy dresses and tops.
Davis builds a bridge between his Caribbean roots and the Italian legacy of the brand, advancing from collection to collection with his strong aesthetic sense. And if the direction of the brand is to purge the form and deprive it of all meaning, he adds bite to the collection with parallels, conceptualisms, and unpredictable reflections.