Earlier this year, the luxury Italian fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo tapped 27-year-old Trinidadian-Jamaican designer Maximilian Davis—a 2022 EBONY Power100 Style Curator awardee—as the historic European brand's creative director. Upon graduating from the London College of Fashion in 2017, Davis worked as a junior designer under the buzzy Black British fashion designer Grace Wales Bonner. Since then Davis has released four collections under his own namesake label—launched in 2020—known for its searing tailoring and strong silhouettes.

For his debut collection for Spring-Summer 23 for Ferragamo, the young creative director explored the iconic brand's Hollywood history. “I wanted to pay tribute to Salvatore’s start by bringing in the culture of Hollywood—but new Hollywood, its ease and sensuality; its sunset and sunrise,” explained Davis.

“I want each piece to feel playful, but also desirable as an object, to stand on its own,” he continued.

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Image: courtesy of Salvatore Ferragamo

With its glossy leathers and second-skin fits, Davis takes everyday essentials—such as tank tops, polos, and leggings—to new heights. He also grounds the ethereal elegance of sheer knits, liquid silk and layers of organza with earthy suede sandals and a sunset palette.

“The sand relates to Ferragamo, to Hollywood, to the ocean—but also to me, and to my own DNA, to what the sea means to Caribbean culture: a place where you can go to reflect and feel at one," shares Davis. "I wanted to show that perspective, but now through the Ferragamo lens.”