Ferragamo launches new line for younger crowd
Salvatore Ferragamo is widely known for creating iconic shoes such as their driving shoe in shades of brown or black, topped with a simple silver buckle. The sassy, working women of the sixties popularized the brand, wearing Ferragamo ballet flats and kitten heels with the signature black pressed bow at the toe. Now the Italian shoemaker is aiming for a younger crowd than their usual clientele of successful businessmen and Hollywood stars. Announced in Milan, the Ferragamo family plans to launch a new brand, My Ferragamo.
Reasonably priced (most styles under $350) with a rainbow inspired palette, the new line will definitely allow the traditional European fashion house some room for risk. No strangers to pushing the envelope… remember Ferragamo’s caged heel? Perhaps, Ferragamo will use this opportunity to create more exciting styles that challenge the style status quo.
However, they’ve already decided to only sell four styles for the moment. A ballet flat, velvet slipper, medium height stacked heel and suede boot. James Ferragamo, leather-product director of the house told WWD, “We’re pushing mid-heels because, while there is an ample offering for flats and high-heel shoes, it’s not that way for medium heights, a segment with huge potential.”
It’s clear that one of the aims of the brand is to tap into more markets and areas that Salvatore Ferragamo can’t quite break into as a traditional brand. There are already a few characteristics that set the new brand apart. Since it’s aimed at an age group that tends to wear the same pair of shoes throughout the day, their brand will reflect that with an attention to comfort and day-to-night styles. For example, the shoes will be unlined with lighter construction.
Ferragamo said, “We view this as a lively and contemporary project aimed at younger customers who will appreciate wearing the shoes day in, day out.”
Sixty thousand pairs have been ordered and will stock Ferragamo’s retail shelves this September.
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