Marilyn Monroe’s iconic red Swarovski crystal pumps. Audrey Hepburn’s suede ballet flats. Joan Crawford’s Foxtrot shoes. These were the makings of a Ferragamo woman during the Golden Age of Hollywood, a time when Salvatore Ferragamo was known as the “shoemaker of dreams.” Today, Maximilian Davis, the brand’s creative director since 2022, is paying homage to that glamorous era, while also making things uniquely his own—complete with a new firmament of young Hollywood stars.
“It’s not about introducing anything, but reenergizing what is already there,” Davis says. The 29-year-old is warm and personable, calling from a minimal white office, the only pop of color a tall green plant in the corner.
Growing up in Manchester in a Trinidadian-Jamaican family, he loved watching American films. And he particularly enjoyed seeing what stars wore on the red carpet. “It was a moment when you could see luxury designers come together and present their best look of the season,” he says, beaming at the memory. “They could use the talent to represent what the brand stood for. When I was growing up, fashion was a lot more free, risky, and daring.”
His love of fashion was nurtured by his grandmother, who was the first person to teach Davis how to sew when he was six years old. His penchant for making women feel great in his designs also goes back to his family: His mother was a model, and he calls his two sisters his “style icons.”
“I’ve always been surrounded by women,” he says. “That is what really inspired me to understand what women want and how they want to dress. I just find that I have that connection, or I like to believe so anyway.” As a teenager, he worked as an apprentice for a tailor and went on to attend the London College of Fashion. After graduating in 2017, he became a junior designer for Wales Bonner before founding his brand, Maximilian, in 2020.
Beginning with his first Ferragamo collection, Davis pored over the archives for inspiration. “I was looking at Marilyn Monroe’s bright red pump that was covered in red crystals,” he remembers. “Obviously, this is a shoe that’s so iconic, but I felt that a younger generation didn’t know [about it].” His goal for that collection, and those that followed, became clear— to bridge the gap between the past and present. For example, for his fall 2023 show inspired by 1950s stars, titled “Cinema,” Davis incorporated the classic Ferragamo red, but gave it “a bit more passion and energy,” resulting in a brighter, more vibrant and modern hue that made its way onto strappy heels and exaggerated accessories. One of the looks, a lamé dress (which was worn in silver by Beyoncé on her Renaissance World Tour), is his personal favorite. “To this day,” he says, “I look at that dress and think about adding one to my archive.” His most recent collection, for fall 2024, paid homage to the Roaring Twenties, with striking looks that seemed like they were made for the red carpet—sheer fabric, sequins, and, of course, more of that red.
Davis h...
“It’s not about introducing anything, but reenergizing what is already there,” Davis says. The 29-year-old is warm and personable, calling from a minimal white office, the only pop of color a tall green plant in the corner.
Growing up in Manchester in a Trinidadian-Jamaican family, he loved watching American films. And he particularly enjoyed seeing what stars wore on the red carpet. “It was a moment when you could see luxury designers come together and present their best look of the season,” he says, beaming at the memory. “They could use the talent to represent what the brand stood for. When I was growing up, fashion was a lot more free, risky, and daring.”
His love of fashion was nurtured by his grandmother, who was the first person to teach Davis how to sew when he was six years old. His penchant for making women feel great in his designs also goes back to his family: His mother was a model, and he calls his two sisters his “style icons.”
“I’ve always been surrounded by women,” he says. “That is what really inspired me to understand what women want and how they want to dress. I just find that I have that connection, or I like to believe so anyway.” As a teenager, he worked as an apprentice for a tailor and went on to attend the London College of Fashion. After graduating in 2017, he became a junior designer for Wales Bonner before founding his brand, Maximilian, in 2020.
Beginning with his first Ferragamo collection, Davis pored over the archives for inspiration. “I was looking at Marilyn Monroe’s bright red pump that was covered in red crystals,” he remembers. “Obviously, this is a shoe that’s so iconic, but I felt that a younger generation didn’t know [about it].” His goal for that collection, and those that followed, became clear— to bridge the gap between the past and present. For example, for his fall 2023 show inspired by 1950s stars, titled “Cinema,” Davis incorporated the classic Ferragamo red, but gave it “a bit more passion and energy,” resulting in a brighter, more vibrant and modern hue that made its way onto strappy heels and exaggerated accessories. One of the looks, a lamé dress (which was worn in silver by Beyoncé on her Renaissance World Tour), is his personal favorite. “To this day,” he says, “I look at that dress and think about adding one to my archive.” His most recent collection, for fall 2024, paid homage to the Roaring Twenties, with striking looks that seemed like they were made for the red carpet—sheer fabric, sequins, and, of course, more of that red.
Davis h...
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ELLE (Digital) - 1 Issue, June/July 2024