Maximilian Davis explores the connection between the Italian wardrobe and Caribbean style through a distinct nautical lens.
Summary
- Maximilian Davis fuses 1920s Hollywood glamour with Caribbean influences for Ferragamo Pre-Fall 2026.
- The collection reimagines nautical staples through an Italian lens, featuring silk scarf dresses, sailor-collar shirting, and coated natural fabrics that offer a modern, technical finish.
- Accessories receive a distinct update, with the introduction of “East-West” proportions for signature bags and a shredded grosgrain iteration of the classic ballerina shoe.
Maximilian Davis continues to shape the Ferragamo identity by looking backward to move forward. For Pre-Fall 2026, the creative director revisits 1920s Hollywood, a chapter foundational to the house, but views it through the lens of his own Caribbean heritage. The result is a study in connection where the relaxed nature of the Italian wardrobe meets the ease of island living.
The ocean serves as the primary narrative device here. It acts as the literal and metaphorical link between these worlds. As Davis notes, “Everything is connected by the ocean. And that idea of the water connecting people and places led me to looking at sailors, and the space they were navigating to discover new beginnings.”
This influence manifests in the clothes with a distinct lack of costume drama. Instead, Davis applies nautical stripes and prints found in the Ferragamo archives to silk scarf dresses. The knitwear is fluid, with relaxed forms that mirror the elongated lines of the 1920s. There is a sense of Golden Age spirit in the bouclé fabrications and draped dresses, yet the silhouettes remain sharp.
Davis borrows the functional language of a sailor’s uniform to add texture. You see this in the discrete details, such as knotted fastenings on shirting or the shoulders of dresses. Horn buttons, Gancini hardware, and metal boating eyelets appear throughout. Even the fabrics suggest a life at sea, with coated natural materials offering organic textures with a technical finish. The color story follows suit. Bold color blocking references the Caribbean, while degrade prints mimic watermarks on a shoreline or the look of an endless horizon.
The shirt is a focal point of the season. Davis plays with proportions, offering both relaxed and composed fits. Collars arrive in sailor and mandarin styles, while the garment itself appears as dresses or layered under suiting. Cotton is used heavily here in various weights. It shapes high-waisted sailor trousers and low-slung pencil skirts, as well as shift dresses that maintain a clean, pure line.
Ferragamo built its name on footwear, and this season offers fresh iterations of house codes. The ballerina with the Vara bow returns in delicate, shredded grosgrain. This technique also applies to a new criss-cross sandal. For a more sculptural approach, satin pumps feature an “S” heel scattered with Art Deco jewelry. In a nod to the nautical theme, a gathered leather detail connected by a Gancini drapes across loafers and mules.
The bags shift in shape. Signature silhouettes like the Hug and the double Gancini flap bag now adopt East-West proportions. The Soft Hug finds new life in grosgrain, while a woven leather hobo bag highlights the craftsmanship central to the brand.
