The latest Ferragamo collection was the first that Maximilian Davis presented since winning British Womenswear Designer of the Year at the Fashion Awards in December. Davis, who is originally from Manchester, has been Creative Director at Ferragamo for almost two years now and his grand project to modernise the brand (which in so many people’s minds is still synonymous with very fancy slippers) has been an unprecedented success. The proof of this was in today’s show.

For inspiration, Davis looked back to the 1920s, an era that, somewhat depressingly, can often seem far more liberal and exciting than our current decade. It was the era when women began wearing suits and cut their hair short and severe, when artists gave up trying to portray the real and opted instead for the surreal, when Varvara Stepanova and Alexander Rodchenko drew up their designs for workers’ clothes that doubled as everyday wear, essentially inventing both utility wear and the concept of unisex clothing. All of this is present in Davis’ collection, from the broad shoulders of the very first coat to the Joan Miró-like squiggles of the very last dress.

Everything in between was also a hit. The earthy green tones of the early looks (which looked rendered in felt in some places!) made brand new a colour that has had a lot of outings this year. The wool coats and jackets are true pieces, the types of outerwear that you want to save up for and then wear for life. The button-up jumpers of Looks #34 and #36 instantly brought to mind Martin Margiela’s famed A Doll’s Wardrobe collection from FW94/95, the proportions just so totally out of whack and strange. On foot, some of the heels closely resembled cheerleader’s pom poms (Looks #42 and #44) while elsewhere pairs of derbys looked pulled out of shape and surreal.

Elegance is a word that people often use as a polite way of saying boring. Davis’ Ferragamo is elegant in its true meaning. It is tasteful, it is luxurious, it is well-crafted, and it is utterly desirable.