Italian fashion brand Salvatore Ferragamo has just announced that British young designer Maximilian Davis will be the brand’s new creative director, effective this Wednesday, March 16th.
The announcement was made on the brand’s official IG, CEO Marco Gobbetti shared: “Maximilian Davis’s clear vision, exceptional execution, and strong aesthetic make him one of the most outstanding geniuses of his generation. His work is characterized by elegance, exquisite sensibility, and a continuous pursuit of quality. Through his perspective on contemporary sensibility, he will write a new and exciting brand chapter for this brand built on creativity, craftsmanship, refinement, and outstanding human values.”
The winner of the 2016 LVMH Prize, who only founded his eponymous brand in 2020, expressed his honor at becoming the creative director of Salvatore Ferragamo this time. He shared: “I am honored to join Ferragamo, and I am grateful for the opportunity to build on the brand’s rich and deep tradition. Ferragamo represents a commitment to eternal elegance and exquisite craftsmanship, which I find incredible. I look forward to expressing my vision, elevated by the principles of Italian craftsmanship, quality, and innovation.”
Who is Maximilian Davis?
This 25-year-old – turning 26 on April 14 – designer was born in the industrial town of Manchester, UK, to a local Afro-Caribbean family with roots in Jamaica and the southern Caribbean island of Trinidad. As a result, culture became a significant life value for him. A graduate of the London College of Fashion, Maximilian Davis casually became a designer for brands and designers like Grace Wales Bonner, Mowalola, and Asai, winning the LVMH Prize in 2016. It wasn’t until 2020 that he established his eponymous brand, debuting the SS22 collection at Fashion East last fall, drawing inspiration from his childhood and memories living in Trinidad.
Maximilian Davis seeks to create a unique identity, community, aesthetic, and perspective through his work, highlighting the elegance of his community. He shared in an interview, “I analyzed everything I experienced, and I realized that when I came into contact with fashion, I was used to seeing European white models, and I didn’t see black people in elegant clothes. That made me feel like it was something we as black people couldn’t participate in.”
“I will wake up two hours early before school to make shirts for my friends, just for a party.”
In an interview with “W Magazine,” he mentioned that even though he grew up in a Black family, his family always felt proud of his ambition to become a fashion designer. “They always remind me of the time when I spent nights sewing clothes in my room when I was young.”
“I will show people that we (Black people) can be a part of this amazing elegance.”
Living in an urban fashion-forward generation, Maximilian Davis’s perspective starts from the annual celebrations of the Trinidadian people. Through performances by enslaved people at the parties, what is seen is not just the master-servant, slave system hierarchy, but rather the expression of their national and racial identity after liberation.
“Now, more than ever, people are willing to talk about racial issues and accept education on how to actively be anti-racist. For a long time, black people have not been in charge of their own narrative, or have been seen in such a singular way during times of lockdowns, shootings, and so on. I want to show people of color in a different light.”
“He made leather bodysuits, gold chains, and I thought, ‘This is what I want.'”
When talking about his youthful style, Maximilian Davis shared: “It started with the New Wave phase, tight jeans, high-top shoes, and all kinds of colors, very American style hoodies. Then, I completely entered the Avant-Garde, started wearing black clothes, and became a bit dark, more gothic style.” In addition, he specifically mentioned Riccardo Tisci’s designs and vision, which made him realize “this is what he wants,” “this made me start my current way of dressing, I think it also had an impact on my aesthetics and work.”
“They would sneak off to parties or men’s homes, and that’s when I realized I could break the rules.”
Influenced by the background of Trinidad, he loves the inspiration of music, movies, and revelry, but what really had a profound impact on him were his two sisters who were also into fashion. “They would sneak out, pretending to go to a friend’s house, and then I would find out they were going to parties or men’s houses. That’s when I realized I could break the rules.”
Growing up in a family where feminism was prevalent, Maximilian Davis has been surrounded by a female-dominated environment since birth, sparking a great interest in the beauty of the female form. “I believe women should be able to do as they please, and should not be afraid to discuss or engage in sexual activities. It is very important to see women feeling empowered by their bodies.” Therefore, when releasing his first collection for his personal brand, many critics noted that his clothing appeared to strike a neutral balance, but upon closer inspection, provocative displays were subtly woven into the details, setting his designs apart.
Although it is still unknown what kind of designs Maximilian Davis will bring to Salvatore Ferragamo, from past interviews, it can be seen that his aesthetics, his fashion must convey a strong message to the public, but at the same time, it also needs to exude a sense of fashionable playfulness. As for him who has always hoped to dress Rihanna, will he make his dream come true after taking office? Everyone is waiting and watching!
資料及圖片來源：Salvatore Ferragamo；Lee Whittaker
