Salvatore Ferragamo’s creative director Paul Andrew is stepping down next month, the Florence-based luxury brand said Thursday, confirming a March 30 report by The Business of Fashion.

Andrew joined Ferragamo as creative director of its key women’s footwear division in 2016, before being promoted to oversee all categories in 2019.

Ferragamo did not immediately name a replacement, saying the brand’s creative activities would continue under an existing in-house team.

Andrew, who was previously known for a namesake shoe line which he closed in 2019, brought fresh energy and some increased attention to Ferragamo’s runway shows in recent seasons. But the brand struggled to convert the bump in editorial buzz into broad consumer interest.

Sales returned to growth in 2019, rising 2.3 percent after several years of flat or falling revenue. But the business was hard-hit by the pandemic, plummeting 33 percent last year.

Andrew’s exit comes amid speculation that the Ferragamo family, still the company’s main shareholder, could be more open to selling the company following a bruising year for many independent brands.

A board reshuffle has signalled that the company could be preparing a broader shakeup. Leonardo Ferragamo will succeed his brother Ferruccio as the company’s chairman, while the company is also set to add three independent board members, according to a proposal to shareholders filed last week.

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