Salvatore Ferragamo Men’s – Spring|Summer 2014 – fashion + class & jet lag

I just saw the collection and it was beautiful in so many ways. I know Massimiliano Giornetti has been exploring with many techno fabrics, skewing the collection a bit younger. I really do miss some of the elegance from previous collections, though.

Anyways, I love the vivid colors and the ease of the clothes- everything sort of looked like it just sat on the body without really touching… in a way gliding over one’s body, which is a good thing. He sure did make a statement with the full shorts, but I know there will be pants to match when the collection arrives at the stores. I also loved that little knee detail he used in the pants and I also noticed the underlying nautical theme that seeped through with all the anoraks and parkas.

Then, I just adored the number theme that he used in everything from intarsia sweaters to the large weekend bags, in a way it reminded me of the design exercises we had to do in college using numbers and letters. It worked rather well and it was such an integrated design element rather than just the number itself.

Massimiliano even managed to get the point across that even though there is some youthful casualness in the collection, there is also the precise tailoring that the house has now incorporated into its DNA. Honestly though, I was not crazy about the footwear and it is too bad there were no leather pieces in the brilliant shades of color. I did, however, love the checkerboard quilting that seems to recur throughout the collection, whether it be in outerwear or sweaters.

I would be remiss in not singling out the shorter outerwear pieces with asymmetrical closures and grommets. There was also one pullover shirt style that was just spectacular with its deep V cut. I’m back again as a fan; we all know that I am not easy to please, but I always have great faith in him and his design talent. | Jeffrey Felner