Paul Andrew Named the Creative Director of Salvatore Ferragamo's Womenswear

[ToniOrtega]

What should we expect from him?

By Steff Yotka for Vogue.com - A year ago, British-American shoe designer Paul Andrew was named the design director of Salvatore Ferragamo's women's shoe collections. At the time of his appointment, Andrew was working beside Fulvio Rigoni as the womenswear design director and Guillaume Meilland for menswear. Today, Andrew takes over as Ferragamo's womenswear creative director.

Andrew posted about the role on Instagram. "I am grateful for the confidence and trust the Ferragamo group and family have put in me," he wrote. "It has been a privilege to work with the expertise of one of the world's great fashion and leather goods houses. I am thrilled by the opportunities that lay ahead in forging a single, powerful identity for a new Ferragamo woman." The brand also posted its own Instagram, quoting from Andrew's caption.

Before launching his namesake shoe brand, Andrew worked at Alexander McQueen and Donna Karan. His first collection of women's ready-to-wear will be for Fall 2018.

Source: Vogue.com

Pardon my ignorance, but is this the first time shoe designer will now be head of apparel for the brand?

 

[eugenius]

What should we expect from him?

Um, a really, really good Glamour Shot for starters!

I really have no clue what Ferragamo is trying to accomplish with the rtw. Nice clothes, yeah, but when people go into the stores, I can't imagine the clothes are at the top of their See Now, Buy Now list. Maybe that will change..maybe?

 

[Lola701]

What should we expect from him?
I would say nothing as today we are always disappointed no matter what but in a perfect world, GLAMOUR! We need Glamour!

It is actually a good and clever idea to have him design the womenswear even if IMO, Brian Atwood would have been perfect for the job. He embodies Glamour more than any other american shoe designer.

I think that it's a good and clever idea because Ferragamo is a shoe company first and the clothes should compliment the design above all. It should not be the way around.

What i want from them: to move on from the "modern" clean aesthetic, to focus on prints, great cuts and luxurious fabrics. Why prints? because in the shops, when people are coming to buy shoes or bags, a good print is always eye-catching and can make someone buy RTW at a brand not necessarly mainly known for that.

Simple clothes, simple styling...Think Miu Miu in it good days or Gucci by Frida Giannini. He should work with George Cortina as he knows one thing or two about Glamour.

It's a very clever decision as it means more press coverage for Ferragamo and the interest of the American press.

 

[Spike413]

I don't know what we should expect, but what I'd like to see him bring to the table is some excitement in the clothing, in the branding and certainly in the accessories -- almost along the lines of what Giornetti was doing circa 2011/2012/2013. It wasn't "modern" in the cliched sense of the word, it wasn't "challenging" in its designs or ideas, but it was polished, it was grown up, it was fun and it was luxurious. I would almost, almost suggest he go the Tom Ford at Gucci route - no holds barred, straight to the point and an alternative to what's being offered everywhere else. Ferragamo has blended in for too long, so it would probably be wise for him to do something that's intended to stand out.

 

[anlabe32]

Gucci by Frida Giannini.

She would've been great for Ferragamo.

 

[ToniOrtega]

She would've been great for Ferragamo.

Was about to reply the same thing!!

With all these houses failing to have longevity with their new CD's (mostly because of their failed attempts to translate well with the brands) I don't now why these houses are not hiring or investing in the designers that defined 2000's commercial Glamour who are now houseless: Tisci, Elbaz, Giannini, Pilati, Decarnin (although I think he's with Faith Connexion?), and Theyskens!

 

[blackcherrified]

Was about to reply the same thing!!

With all these houses failing to have longevity with their new CD's (mostly because of their failed attempts to translate well with the brands) I don't now why these houses are not hiring or investing in the designers that defined 2000's commercial Glamour who are now houseless: Tisci, Elbaz, Giannini, Pilati, Decarnin (although I think he's with Faith Connexion?), and Theyskens!

OMG yes Pilati, someone should bring him back! I am seriously having withdrawal symptoms for his YSL clothes (staring at the clothes and bags I have in my wardrobe every single day). He would have been a very good fit for Ferragamo though... all that structure and rigour and practical workwear.

 

[kasper!]

Ferragamo is always lame...medicore shoes and medicore bags and medicore clothes. I live in Florence now. When I walk in their flagship store I am always bored. Shoes for nine to six office style, hardly no high end styles like evening shoes. Clothes are even more boring....The only interesting part about this brand is their archive. They have a line called Ferragamo's Creation which is quite funny. When Mr Ferragamo was still alive this brand was the IT brand of 40s and 50s. Signore Ferragamo really understood the old hollywood glamour, too bad his offspring know nothing about it.

For me Paul Andrew is the boring version of Manolo Blahnik. Many design of his own brands are deja-vu of old Manolo design with a simplified twist. You know Manolo sometimes could be someone minimalist.

Anyway I hope Paul Andres could bring something different. Ferragamo is one of few family-owned global brands. I wish this brand could return to its glory days of 40s and 50s. Kill Jimmy Choo.. After many years I think Jimmy Choo would become Ferragamo nowdays..Begins with shoes and ends up with multi catagory life style brand.

 

[dior_couture1245]

Well...my hopes aren't high, but, as kasper brought up, it really would be great to see this house revitalized in a way that felt in line with what the house was in the 40's and 50's. Old Ferragamo shoes and bags are still devastatingly chic to this day. In fact - a good creative director could simply pull styles directly from archive and they'd already be doing better than what's been happening at the brand for a while now. As far as the RTW, I can't imagine what he'd do, but if I were him, I'd really go for the late 1930's/early 1940's look. It feels ripe for creative mining these days and I think it would be just the jolt this brand needs...it's been too corporate and too pedestrian looking for too long.

 

[Crying Diamonds]

Well we already have two good examples of accessory designers becoming apparel designers to give us a good idea of the paths Ferragamo could go:

1 - Maria Grazia Chiuri and Pier Paolo Piccioli at Valentino (and subsequently Valentino and Dior) also known as a chiffon dress with a flower print, only given any air time because it has the name of one of the most famous designers ever sewn into the neck.

2 - Alessandro Michele at Gucci - a total overhaul of the entire woefully dull brand image inherited from Frida Giannini, which, though controversial and of a particular taste, has been successful.

Alessandro's Gucci works because it is wildly different from everything else we are seeing - it is over-embellished, gaudy, even traditionally tasteless and ugly. Forget vintage, he has literally taken old-fashioned and made it current fashion. And along with that Cadbury's purple foil wrapper balloon dress he has incredibly desirable shoes and bags.

What we don't need from Ferragamo is another "the beauty is in the detail" minimal half-arsed inspiration brand.

The beauty is in the detail, but first you need to actually get people close enough to see it.

I was looking at the Vogue website earlier, they had a collage of runway looks from S/S 18, the one that stood out was Gucci. Why? Because the model had Farah Fawcett hair and glasses my grandmother gave up wearing twenty years ago (yes, twenty years, it's 2017 and I feel old.)

It's a lot to put on the shoulders of a shoe designer, and as a former aspiring up-and-comer I would feel slighted at the idea of an accessory designer being granted an apparel designer position when there are so many willing fashion candidates.. but Oliver Lapidus is literally from fashion royalty, and look what he did for Lanvin this season..

Good luck to Paul Andrew!

 

[Benn98]

Well, things are looking up for him!

Ferragamo Falls

Ceo Micaela Le Divelec Lemmi said the company's turnaround strategy is not done and revealed that creative director Paul Andrew has put his namesake brand on hold.

• WWD Digital Daily
• 13 Mar 2019
• BY LUISA ZARGANI

Profits and sales erode at Salvatore Ferragamo.

MILAN — “Execution is key.” Micaela Le Divelec Lemmi, chief executive officer of Salvatore Ferragamo, is banking on carrying through “a clear and definite action plan” to turn around the company, which in 2018 saw an erosion in profits and sales.

Le Divelec Lemmi was speaking with analysts during a conference call on Tuesday at the end of trading, after the Florence-based company revealed a 21.1 percent drop in net profits last year. In the 12 months ended Dec. 31, earnings, including a minority interest of 2 million euros, totaled 90 million euros, compared with 114.3 million euros in 2017.

“We are very vigilant, the strategy is alive and not completed in one year,” said Le Divelec Lemmi, who took on the ceo role at the end of July last year. “We are fine-tuning our communication, our digital organization, our cultural strategy and the real key driver is the ability to execute in due time in a precise and specified manner.”

Asked by one analyst if she was bringing to Salvatore Ferragamo elements from her previous experience at Gucci and parent company Kering, Le Divelec Lemmi said “the brands are completely different and we cannot mutualize Gucci, we must be respectful of the DNA of the brand and its values. Strategy and execution are tied to the values and to create value for the brand, and to enhance it.”

During the call, it was revealed that Paul Andrew, who was promoted to creative director of the brand last month,</a> has decided to put his own namesake footwear label on hold. “The expectation is that this will help bring further consistency to the [Salvatore Ferragamo] brand and strategy,” said Le Divelec Lemmi, expecting “a smoother design process and a structured focus on the design team as a whole — a plus in the industry. It will bring additional positive consistency to the implementation of the brand.”

As reported, Guillaume Meilland maintains his role as men’s ready-towear design director, taking on the additional responsibility of studio director, coordinating the development of all product categories under Andrew’s leadership. Andrew joined Ferragamo in September 2016 as women’s footwear director and was promoted a year later to women’s creative director.

In 2018, the group reported sales of 1.34 billion euros, down 3.3 percent, compared with 1.39 billion euros in 2017. At constant exchange, sales decreased 1.7 percent.

Revenues in the last quarter of 2018 registered a 3.5 percent drop, penalized by the impact of currencies, by the lower incidence of promotional sales in the primary channel, by lower revenues in the secondary channel and by the negative trends of the wholesale business.

Last year, earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization decreased 13.8 percent to 214 million euros compared with 249 million euros a year earlier.

Operating profit decreased 19.5 percent to 150 million euros, from 186 million euros in 2017.

The company noted that net profit in the last quarter last year showed a negative impact of around 9 million euros due to provisions and payment of income taxes for previous years, following tax audits in some group companies, while in the last quarter of 2017 it was negatively impacted by the U.S. fiscal reform, by around 13 million euros.

Ferragamo’s core business, footwear, registered a 5.9 percent decrease in sales to 554.7 million euros, accounting for 41.2 percent of the total. The category picked up in the last quarter, however, said chief financial officer Alessandro Corsi. He also pointed to a positive trend with the spring shoe collection.

Handbags and leather accessories were up 1 percent to 521.4 million euros, representing 38.7 percent of the total; fragrances were up 5.6 percent to 94.1 million euros, representing 7 percent of the total, and sales of apparel fell 15 percent to 76.4 million euros, accounting for 5.6 percent of the total.

Asked about pricing, Le Divelec Lemmi said the overall positioning was “satisfying.” She admitted that the customer base was “not aligned to the Millennial generation,” but that steps were being made to reach out to a younger demographic while rewarding customers “that have been loyal in time.”

Case in point, the recent Gancini collection and communication campaign succeeded in drawing in younger customers, she said.

As of Dec. 31, the company counted

672 stores, of which 409 were directly operated and the retail distribution channel was down 3 percent to 878.2 million euros, accounting for 65.2 percent of total sales. Le Divelec Lemmi pointed to an “optimization” of the existing network, rather than an investment in growing the number of doors.

Like-for-like sales were down 1.3 percent, mainly due to lower revenues in the secondary channel, but year-to-date showed an “overall positive trend,” said Corsi.

The wholesale channel, penalized during 2018 by the destocking activity and a strategic rationalization, was down 3.8 percent to 447.5 million euros, representing 33.2 percent of the total.

Le Divelec Lemmi said the company is fine-tuning the wholesale network and “had not defined a cut in doors, putting the focus on the ability to deliver key and consistent messages to wholesalers.” Asked about venturing into concessions, she said it would depend case-by-case and that it was necessary to “ensure consistency in implementation.”

In the last quarter, wholesale revenues were down 5.4 percent at constant exchange, mainly due to the unfavorable performances in the Europe, Middle East and Africa region and in the U. S., while the Asia-Pacific area and the travel-retail channels registered positive trends. The latter comprised 142 doors and accounted for one-fourth of wholesale revenues, said Corsi.

The digital business accounted for between 4 and 5 percent of sales, he said.

WWD via PressReader