As Paul Sees It

Paul Andrew, the recently appointed director of women’s footwear design at Ferragamo, is excited about the future. He tells Luisa Simonetto how he has reinterpreted Salvatore’s vision to cater to millennials.

- Luisa Simonetto

Salvatore left us with so many inventions,” says Paul Andrew, 38, an Englishman from New York with over two decades of experience in the world of women’s shoes. He was recently appointed the director of women’s footwear design at Ferragamo. His mission is to revive the pioneering vision of the founder, the man who invented the iconic suspended heel. He also wants to revive tweed, a fabric close to Salvatore’s heart, as well as incorporate more flattering colours into his collection. It all fits in effortlessly with the history of the house, which, by 1927, had expanded to American shores, when Salvatore had already become shoemaker to the stars.

Andrew began his journey in England with Alexander McQueen, another master of extravagance, “It was creatively fulfilling. I was constantly pushing the limits, but there wasn’t too much money in it. That’s when my father told me that I needed to earn more to be able to live well.” So Andrew went to America, where he did several stints with Narciso Rodriguez, Calvin Klein and Donna Karan. In 2013, he founded his eponymous brand, which was immediately crowned Best Launch of the Year in the accessories category of Who Is On Next. With his first collection for the Florentine fashion house (Pre-Fall 2017) set to hit stores, the designer tells us how he is attempting to bring Salvatore’s vision of style and modernity to today’s millennials.

ELLE:

What does Ferragamo represent?