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Salvatore Ferragamo: Graeme Falls Short of Greatness
By Godfrey Deeny
Photos by Gruber-FWD
MILAN, Mar 6, 2003/ FWD/ --- Last season Graeme Black, designer of Salvatore Ferragamo,
was criticized for too slavishly aping the style of his former boss, Giorgio Armani.
This season he will probably feel the prickly point of critics’ sharp pens because he tried
way too hard to establish his own worldview.
It’s not as if Black is not a talented designer, as a few items in this collection clearly
indicated.
It’s more that the sum total of his influences, inspirations and syntheses of quality
Italian manufacturing power came out as a rather anonymous brew of frequently improbable looks.
That’s not to say that there weren’t some fine looks, in particular a wonderfully curvy
crocodile jacket worn with an asymmetrical chiffon mini and some great suede thigh boots.
And there were a number of very fine astrakhan jackets worn with chain belts, and
multi-stripped gloves that impressed.
And for a house that still earns most of its revenues in footwear, one couldn’t help admire
the Barnstormers’ lace boots and a version of a classic Ferragamo wedge revamped with laser
cut designs.
Black was inspired by a long trip he made to Russia last fall, including a long stop in
St. Petersburg, where he checked out theatrical costumes, Constructivist posters and the
Hermitage fine arts section.
However, apart from some suede jackets at the start and a certain amount of nouveau pauvre
coats, little of this trip was evident in the show.
Far too often colors, fabrics, finishes and hues fought for domination in many looks, often
losing out to multi chain and pendant necklaces.
And, above all, the collection seemed out of step with the overall Milan mood of protective
mediaeval looks designed as much to protect as enhance the human figure.
Black clearly is a talented designer, but he still needs to find his way.
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