Ahead of the Curve: Ferragamo Puts the “Watch” Back in Fashion Watches
God loves a trier, and “fashion watches” have really been doing their bit as of late. We’re looking at you, Ferragamo.
All hail Maximilian Davis! Since taking over the helm of the Florentine luxury house over a year ago, he has put the sexy back in Salvatore Ferragamo’s archival approach to dressing Hollywood’s elite – think Marilyn Monroe, Judy Garland, Greta Garbo. Now, Davis is moving on toa novel watch collection, the first under his tenure.
While Davis’ nomination to the brand might’ve felt like an initial curveball for the Maison, as the nascent Mancunian designer was yet to show his first collection under his own brand, it’s incredible that he’s gifted us his first Ferragamo watch: the Curve. This metaphysical quip sums up the brand's approach to modern-day watchmaking since its initial output of timepieces in 2008, it’s always striven to be ahead of the curve in making fashion watches successful.
But wait: Why are we calling them “fashion watches” and not just, well, watches?
Typically, these two words tick the watch industry off. Why? Consider them the mudbloods of the watch world, without the traditional Swiss foundations or emphasis on pushing the mechanical boundaries of what’s inside the watch, just as much as the dial. Cast yourself back to the iconoclasm of yesteryear with the likes of Paris Hilton and Kate Hudson #sliving in Marc Jacobs watches, Michael Kors watches, and ToyWatches (only real ones know) — little more than an affordable gold (plated) watch-like object on a wrist, these co-called watches gave the “fashion watch,” aka the form-over-function watch, the bad name they still carry today.
But as someone who worships both watches and womenswear with mutual exclusivity, I say it’s high time we started tipping our hats to the watches conceived inside the atelier’s of the fashion world.
Challenging the scope of this hard-done-by genre, the Ferragamo Curve is more than simply a launch of another watch, by another fashion house. It’s a watch that truly acknowledges the zeitgeist, and its preference for precedent for larger watches. Serving a greater anthropological purpose, Ferragamo Curve possesses a 46mm dial – but fear not – for those in search of shrinking down, the oval shaped dial (reminiscent of an iPhone toggle button) does double time by creating the illusion of being smaller than it is, to keep both size camps happy.
If we know anything about today’s modern watch wearers, it’s that to them, adaptability is paramount. The public talked, Ferragamo listened. Producing three models in silver, yellow gold, and a black sunray finished dial, this triumvirate of dials are each paired with a calf double tour leather strap, in either the Maison’s sultry Ferragamo red, conceived by Davis, or a more refined black strap. Rotating twice around the wrist to complete the strap, this turning sensation speaks to a greater shift in stacking watches with bracelets (à la the arms of fans at Taylor Swift's “Eras” tour).
Complete with an F-engraved crown, the Ferragamo curve boasts 30 meter watertightness, welcoming your dip in the pool, and a Swiss quartz movement. Save your groans at the mention of quartz, watch aficionados. So it’s quartz. May we remind you that many great Maisons have procured watches through the science of quartz. Think Hermes’ enamored Cape Cod, Chanel’s 33mm J12, considered the holy grail of fashion watches.
And no, this is not a “ladies” watch. As the watch industry presently tackles its archaic gender labels, Ferragamo pitches in toward the utopia of a genderless society in producing a watch that is meant for any and all.
So in the face of fashion-watch adversity, Ferragamo’s novel Curve sets the tone for the future of fashion watches. Yes, they’re design-focused, as opposed to manufacturing the most iconic tourbillon in existence. Are they striving to replace the Philippe family, or shake Rolex’s Hans Wilsdorf from the grave? Absolutely not. But if we’re hoping as an industry to attract new voices and garner attention among the next generation, surely we should be celebrating the fact that they’re putting watches back on people’s wrists again. Put simply: there’s a rebirth of watchmaking happening at Ferragamo, and we’re here for it.
