Salvatore Ferragamo’s Gancini Collection Through the Lens
Ferragamo has always been closely linked to cinema and the arts. Before he founded his brand, Salvatore Ferragamo, the founder and namesake, first gained recognition as a shoemaker for Hollywood stars of the early 20th century.
The Italian designer made his first pair of shoes for his sister at the age of nine and opened his first shoe shop in Italy before emigrating to the United States at the age of 16. After moving to California, Ferragamo quickly became involved in the production of shoes for the emerging American film scene.
Fascinated by the creative world of cinema and the processes behind it, Ferragamo knew he wanted to be part of that world and opened a shoe shop in Hollywood in 1923, the same year that the Hollywood sign was built. There he designed shoes for films, like the 12,000 sandals he made for Cecil B. DeMille's film "The Ten Commandments", and for film stars of the era. During Hollywood's golden age, Salvatore Ferragamo became a renowned shoe brand and the client list grew to include icons such as Marilyn Monroe, Audrey Hepburn, and Sophia Loren.
Over the years, Salvatore Ferragamo expanded into Women’s and Men’s ready-to-wear, leather goods and accessories, eyewear, and more. But the brand’s love for the silver screen has remained a constant source of inspiration to the point that it is considered an integral part of Ferragamo’s DNA and has extended to include a number of other creative disciplines.
Upon returning to Italy, Ferragamo set up the brand’s headquarters in the Palazzo Spini Feroni in Florence where it remains to this day, the city serving as inspiration for many Ferragamo designs. The brand’s signature Gancini hook and double-hook monogram were inspired by the Palazzo’s iron gates. For the Pre-Spring 2022 collection, Salvatore Ferragamo has embossed its pieces with a reworked Gancini monogram, which acts as the intersection point between the color blocking, distinctive textures and patterns of this ready-to-wear line.
The collection puts a strong focus on denim, and while technically divided into women’s and men’s wardrobes, these contemporary classic pieces could just as well be genderless. The women’s wardrobe ranges from straight to flared jeans, trucker jackets to pleated skirts, each garment embossed with the new Gancini monogram in shades of blue or red, which match the piece’s contrast stitching. The men’s collection continues the theme with five-pocket trousers, sweaters, jackets and an A-line raincoat cut in raw denim with contrasting topstitching.
The signature hook emblem also decorates an assortment of shoes, bags, and accessories. Loafers, boots, slingbacks, and sneakers in neutral and bold-colored leather and denim variations as well as bags, belts and other leather goods, round off this Gancini-clad collection.
Inspired by Ferregamo’s heritage in cinema and the linking of art and fashion, we brought together actors, singers, models, directors and photographers to film an audition-meets-photoshoot campaign that highlights the collection and brands’ creative vision, which is perhaps best summarized as such: “When modernity meets traditions and different arts can dialogue, creativity is sparked.”
See the full collection here.
