She got a lotta Prada. That Dolce Gabbana / I can’t forget Escada, and that Balenciaga,” raps ASAP Rocky in “Fashion Killa,” his 2013 single that drops 27 designer names within the first two verses. Hip-hop lyrics “play a major part with what a certain demographic wears,” admits the style-savvy 26-year-old. And Rocky’s lyrics, along with an unconventional urban-couture approach to fashion (long johns beneath shorts and Ann Demeulemeester tunics), are precisely what struck Salvatore Ferragamo creative director Massimiliano Giornetti, who approached the rapper for the label’s new online series, A Man’s Story, which launched Dec. 1 (manstory.ferragamo.com).
Directed by Francesco Carrozzini, the project spotlights such creatives as photographer Ryan McGinley and actor Douglas Booth, who reveal why breaking rules boosted their success. Says Rocky, “I try to carefully break them without getting caught. That’s the best approach when you’re an anarchist in society.” For a 100-year-old brand whose legacy is steeped in traditional fine-leather footwear, the project and the 15-pair sneaker collection that launches in tandem represent a new direction. Says Giornetti, “[It’s] revisiting our DNA but also evolving to reflect the Ferragamo man’s reaction to the real world.”