Maximilian Davis’s Ferragamo Is Tracee Ellis Ross-Approved

“I don’t get phased very easily,” said Maximilian Davis at the launch of Ferragamo’s exclusive footwear capsule collection with Bergdorf Goodman. The 30-year-old designer, who celebrated his milestone birthday just two weeks ago, was appointed creative director of the Italian luxury house in 2022. Before taking the helm at Ferragamo, Davis honed his craft at Dover Street Market, later founding his own eponymous label. He also earned a spot in London’s prestigious Fashion East incubator, where his talent quickly gained recognition.

When Davis was first starting out, he found inspiration in the community that surrounded him. “I had my grandmother, who [had just] passed away, and I based my [eponymous] brand on her heritage,” he told ELLE. “Then I also had all my friends that I was partying with and they were dressing up and putting looks together—that gave me another source of inspiration.” In a short three years, Davis has breathed new life into the brand, introducing his signature Hug bag and dressing celebrities like Hari Nef and Dua Lipa.

Now, Davis has delved into the Ferragamo archives, using his fresh perspective to reimagine the brand’s rich history for a contemporary audience. The launch was marked by a star-studded private event co-hosted by Bergdorf Goodman’s Linda Fargo at the store’s 7th-floor café, with sweeping views of Central Park. The guest list was intimate yet influential, featuring Tracee Ellis Ross, LaKeith Stanfield, and supermodel Paloma Elsesser—proof of the admiration today’s style icons have for the rising designer.

Kasmere Trice and LaKeith Stanfield at Bergdorf Goodman.

Despite the buzz surrounding Davis’s runway collections, Ferragamo is still largely—if subconsciously—associated with its heritage in footwear. It’s a legacy that runs deep: the brand is famously credited with inventing the first wedge heel in 1937. “This capsule was inspired by archive designs from the 1940s,” Davis explained. “Each [original] shoe was designed and made for a specific person—and she was made for a reason. Having that kind of story behind something just becomes a lot deeper and allows us to translate that narrative into something that’s modern and unexpected.”

When asked if he had a favorite shoe from the collection, Davis diplomatically replied that choosing just one was impossible—but if he had to, it would be the gold wedge with the chain detail. The design is a modern reinterpretation of an archival silhouette originally crafted in 18-karat gold—a striking example of contemporary extravagance rooted in Ferragamo’s storied past.