Ferragamo at the Louvre: When High Fashion Meets Fine Art

by: Andrea Lo

Salvatore Ferragamo firmly left its mark in the fashion history books this week when the brand showcased its 2013 Resort Collection in the legendary Paris museum, the Louvre.

Having hosted shows before within its grounds but never inside the historical structure, the Louvre’s sensational collaboration with the Italian label featured a 140-metre long runway – the longest ever built for a show in Paris – in the 900-year-old Denon Wing arcade, overlooking the celebrated pyramid. 40 models sported creations in soft and pale shades, inspired by and echoing the colours of the Louvre’s stonewalls. Indulging in scrupulous Parisian aesthetic, the collection paid tribute to the French capital with woven clutches and crochet dresses, while also staying true to Ferragmo’s artisanship in shoemaking with knee-high sculpted boots. Perhaps as a nod to the astoundingly lengthy runway, models were also seen in “stride-along footwear.” “We want to prove that our shoes can walk a long way,” noted Ferragamo’s CEO, Michele Norsa.

The fashion house’s unprecedented access to the museum was granted after it became an exclusive sponsor of the Louvre’s latest exhibition, The Saint Anne: Leonardo da Vinci’s Ultimate Masterpiece. Chairman of the group, Ferruccio Ferragamo, stated the following: “Endless creativity, an innovative aesthetic, artisanal roots and groundbreaking research have always characterised the Italian genius, as embodied by Leonardo da Vinci.” Sharing its heritage with the great artist, the Florentine brand’s latest showing as well as the exhibition itself both offer immense opportunity for a wider audience to gain knowledge of the Tuscan region as well as its legacy. Creative director Massimiliano Giornetti has particularly referred to the staging of a runway show inside the Louvre as “[going] beyond the simple concept of fashion,” as well as being “a statement, a continuation of long tradition of beauty and sensibility, of passion and a love of art.”