The latest new designer to join the Group’s creative team, Guillaume Meilland will debut his designs in January 2017. The trio of new designers sounded its first notes last September when Paul Andrew was named Design Director of Women’s FOOTWEAR, followed by Fulvio Rigoni as Design Director of WOMEN’S RTW, the latter debuting the very same month with his Women’s Spring-Summer 2017 collection.

These three expressive young designers bring significant experience and solid reputations to the international iconic Florentine label – a world leader in the luxury industry – boosting the development potential of its individual lines.

“I am convinced that the work of these three designers, each with his own unique background but all united by their love of beautiful design and an immense, innate creativity in the service of research and innovation, will contribute to further strengthen our brand’s image, which the company has always developed upon the foundation of its internationalism,” announced Eraldo Po-letto, Salvatore Ferragamo’s CEO since 3rd of August. “Each of the three new designers was selected for his ability to interpret the DNA of this brand which will continue to dictate how its identity is shaped in the light of its heritage and iconic style.”

Design Director of MEN’S RTW: Guillaume Meilland began his career in 2002 at Louis Vuitton Menswear. After collaborating on several different prestigious menswear lines, in 2007 he took over men’s sportswear design for Yves Saint Laurent, and in October of the following year he was named Senior Designer of Lanvin Menswear, a position he left for Ferragamo.

“I am thrilled to be able to work for a brand as prestigious as Salvatore Ferragamo and with such an important history,” com-mented Guillaume Meilland upon his appointment and before his upcoming debut in January. “This is a momentous chal-lenge and I plan to draw on the brand’s history and heritage to create modern men’s collections that look to the future.”

Design Director of WOMEN’S FOOTWEAR: Paul Andrew joined the Group in September as the new Design Director of Women’s Footwear and the Pre-Fall 2017 collection will be his debut. In 2013, he founded the shoe brand that bears his name, soon becoming known as a creative force in the industry. In 2014, he was named winner of the CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund.

“For nearly a century, Salvatore Ferragamo has been a unique name for design and craftsmanship in the shoe industry. This is why it is such an honour to be asked to lead the future creative vision for the women’s footwear division, precisely where the legend began. I hope to bring a fresh perspective to the company, meeting the demands of the market today and combining the strength of Salvatore Ferragamo’s heritage and its productive power with luxury design and the very latest innovations in materi-als and technique.”

Design Director of WOMEN’S RTW: Fulvio Rigoni was named the Group’s new Women’s RTW Design Director in September 2016 at the Women’s Spring-Summer 2017 fashion show. Italian by birth and international by vocation, before joining Salvatore Ferragamo, Fulvio Rigoni held key positions for world-renowned fashion labels like Prada, Gucci, Jil Sander and, most recently, Christian Dior, where he designed both prét-â-porter and haute couture.

“After living abroad for many years, I am happy to return to Italy and work for a company with such an important history. The Ferragamo archive is a huge treasure trove, the only one of its kind in the world. I don’t think you can do my job well without respectfully taking this archive into consideration and my challenge will be precisely that of giving appeal from the past a contemporary makeover.”