Ferragamo reworks classic styles for kids in miniature capsule

Ferragamo’s Mini collection

Italian fashion label Salvatore Ferragamo is appealing to pint-sized style seekers and their parents with a capsule collection of shrunken-down icons.

Ferragamo Mini, which debuted at children’s apparel fair Pitti Bimbo, features styles that resemble the women’s Varina flat and the men’s driving shoe in sizes for children ages 3-8. Proving that the footwear for kids is on par with the adult versions, the brand created a whimsical film featuring a multigenerational game of hide-and-seek.

“Ferragamo likely decided to launch a mini-me collection because the high-end consumer likes to dress their children as well as they dress themselves,” said Christine Kirk, CEO of Social Muse Communications, Los Angeles, CA.

“This is a brilliant move on the part of Ferragamo both from a merchandise and product stand point but also from a marketing stand point as mommy blogs, parenting topics and children’s fashion all have a strong presence online and on social media,” she said. “Instagram and Pinterest are filled with parents looking for #InstaKids fashion inspiration – and #FerragamoMini falls exactly in line.”

Ms. Kirk is not affiliated with Ferragamo, but agreed to comment as an industry expert.

Ferragamo was unable to comment directly before press deadline.

Finding their feet
Ferragamo Mini features ballet flats with bows for girls, driving shoes for boys, miniature handbags and sneakers.

The collection features the same basic designs as the adult versions, but with playful touches. Driving shoes come in punchy colors, while ballet flats are fashioned in quirky prints featuring cartoon puppies or skateboarding penguins.

Introducing these smaller edition accessories, Ferragamo filmed a playful short that echoes the Splendor of Life concept of its fall/winter campaign (see story).

Ferragamo Mini collection

As in the women’s and menswear effort, models play a game of hide-and-seek.

At the start of the film, a close-up of a woman’s hands shows her counting up on her fingers. Her back is turned on two young girls wearing similarly white dresses, who giggle as they run behind a set of curtains.

Finished with the countdown period, the mother figure turns in her red patent Varina flats in search of the youngsters. A man is also shown searching for the children.

A boy and girl hide behind clothing in the adults’ closet, placing their feet with their Mini Varina or driving shoes next to the adult-sized counterparts.

As the children try to hide, their efforts fail, as the adults catch on to them with their feet sticking out. In one silly moment of desperation, a girl who is out in the open grabs a bright yellow handbag, hiding her face but nothing else.

Salvatore Ferragamo – Mini

“The #FerragamoMini short film does an excellent job of adhering to the brand’s overall aesthetic – the aesthetic that consumers are used to seeing with the men’s and women’s collections, but is also light-hearted enough to embody and capture the spirit of children,” Ms. Kirk said.

Consumers will be able to shop Ferragamo Mini at boutiques in Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Macau, Singapore, Taiwan, the United Kingdom and the United States.

A previous incarnation of Mini for girls featured styles in glitter, eyelet or patent. This was launched with sharable video cards, which depicted everything from a superhero dad to a surreal picnic (see story).

Starting young
While developing children’s wear may have seemed risky to luxury brands in the past, the market is rife with untapped potential for high-end fashion players, according to a new report by Fashionbi.

“Kidswear Market: Evolution and Potential” explains how a combination of factors, including parents having children at an older and more financially stable age, an increasing birth rate and baby boomer grandparents with the means to dote on their grandchildren, have helped to boost market growth in the children’s wear sector. Over the past couple of years, a number of luxury labels, including Tom Ford and Balmain, have begun designing for younger consumers, appealing to a more brand-conscious generation (see story).

Reflecting the interest in younger fashion, Condé Nast’s British Vogue unveiled a new facet of its Web site focusing on children’s wear content.

Due to the growing interest in material topics ranging from current parenting trends to children’s clothing, British Vogue has responded to the interests of its readers through “Mini Vogue.” Creating a digital hub for this content will continue to strengthen the relationship Vogue titles have with their readers, first as young adults with Miss Vogue and then to mothers with its flagship title (see story).

“With the Mini collection, Ferragamo is building brand loyalty and capturing potential future customers by dressing children who will grow into adults and likely continue to purchase Ferragamo products as they have fond childhood memories with the brand,” Ms. Kirk said. “Conversely, parents who have a positive experience with the brand by dressing their children in it, will likely purchase products for themselves.”

from Apparel and accessories – Luxury Daily https://www.luxurydaily.com/ferragamo-reworks-classic-styles-for-kids-in-miniature-capsule/
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