When fashion becomes art

The new Resort 2013 collection by Salvatore Ferragamo shown at the Louvre

The Louvre in Paris, one of the most famous and important museums in the world, recently opened its doors to fashion, hosting the new Resort 2013 collection from the Ferragamo fashion house, a really exceptional event that took everyone’s breath away with its pomp and beauty.

The 140 meter long catwalk, designed to be easily visible to all 500 guests at the event, was set up under the loggia of the Denon wing, not far from the oldest statues in the museum, and  was enhanced by cascades of white wisteria and the scent of jasmine, to delight the guests and get them into the fresh and dynamic spirit of next spring-summer 2013, to which the collection is entirely dedicated.

More than a fashion show, as stated by the creative director of the Ferragamo maison,  Massimiliano Giornetti, this was a really unique and prestigious moment, as no other fashion house before, had been permitted to show its collections inside the Louvre and this privilege was granted, for the first time ever, to an all-Italian brand that has elevated craftsmanship and attention to detail to a fine art..

This collection serves to enhance not only fashion and the new stylish trends and colours of spring-summer 2013, but also (and above all) genuine Made in Italy craftsmanship. Here the workshops come to life, and you can almost see skilful hands weaving fabrics and feel the persevering and uncompromising exclusivity of the genuine Made in Italy.

Artisans, according to Mrs Ferragamo, are the only possible positive answer to the economic crisis invading not only Italy but also the whole Europe nowadays. They are valuable for economic development because it’s their hands and their creative ideas that start everything going again. Even the smallest craftsman is fundamental for the correct development and the perfect conclusion of a product The rebirth of Italian production is in the hands of the craftsman, who should take advantage of his creative background and manual ability because his unique gifts are what transform every product into a small masterpiece, which is completely original and, for this reason, competitive in the market.

The collection shown by Ferragamo reveals an effect of lightness typical of summer and its pale colours, tending to beige and cream, deliberately draw out the light tones of the stone that the Museum itself is built of. The vivid and strong tonalities that characterize this summer 2012, are completely banished next summer season 2013, substituted by washed out shades that recall the nuances of old photographs left in the sun. The adopted style is vaguely reminiscent of the 70’s.

Soft leather clothes are frayed, and very simple shades such as light pink, beige and cream are used for an effect of harmonious lightness. The simplicity of the base materials, such as raffia and gauze, is however contrasted with the richness of weavings and workmanships made precious by gold accessories and diamonds.  Inlays made of genuine exotic leather, such as python and crocodile, are added alongside work in pure silk.

The over shirt has soft leather interwoven with snakeskin, thanks to prodigious craftsmanship, while a genuine crocodile mini dress in light pink is worn with ultra flat boots in suede with embroidery and buckles. T-shirts are made from ultra soft leather or linen jersey with leather finishing, while blousons are interwoven with genuine leather and raffia.

The Ferragamo woman of summer 2013 will wear soft, unstructured hobos that hide really gorgeous details made from extraordinary materials, skilfully modelled, such as crocodile, python and soft leather.

The clutch, on the other hand, is built of a mosaic of pieces of bone with micro applications in exotic leather.

Boots, strictly over the knee, are made of genuine python skin and they closely fit the shape of the leg.

The accessories, like the rest of the collection, focus on the warm tones of pink, beige and champagne.

The 2013 Resort collection by Ferragamo can therefore be seen as a union of high fashion and Italian high craftsmanship.,Some dresses from this collection use crochet work or hand worked fabrics, designed to give the Ferragamo woman of the next spring-summer season 2013 a new and fresh sensation of lightness and three-dimensional form. This is a collection dedicated to all those women who are looking for a precious and exclusive item from which they will never be parted.

According to what we have seen, we can certainly affirm that the goal has been reached with excellent results, so much so that, even the gates of the Louvre opened wide to receive this superb collection!