Today is a good day for Ferragamo. The label debuted on the Milan stock exchange this morning to a strong showing. Yesterday afternoon, the storied 83-year-old Florence house presented their first ever show in the US. And, almost as if Ferragamo knew they’d richer the next day, they pulled out all the stops for this resort show.

Ferragamo presented their 2012 resort collection in the grandest of settings–the James B Duke mansion on New York’s upper east side, former home to heiress Doris Duke. (It’s now owned by NYU and houses an art history library for grad students–the space is reason enough to apply.) Models descended from a marble staircase (not an easy feat in sky high platform wedges) as a bevy of A-list celebrities–including Eva Mendes, Frieda Pinto, Emma Roberts and Scott Speedman (who was there with girlfriend Theresa Palmer, creepy stalker photo proof below)–watched on.

The clothes were clearly inspired by the lady of the house and her heyday in the 1930′s, as well as the starlets gathered to watch them–remember that Salvatore Ferragamo got his start making shoes for Hollywood’s biggest stars in the ’20s and ’30s. “Glamorous, super cool and modern,” was how creative director Massimiliano Giornetti described the collection. Using Doris Duke’s glam ’30s as a starting point, Giornetti created elegant draped silk evening gowns in white, gold and navy. Daywear was just as luxe with a nautical bent. High-waisted wide legs pants were paired with cashmere pea coats over marinieres or bra tops. It was a collection perfect for today’s jet set heiress (or anyone trying to look like one).

“Salvatore Ferragamo started his dream in Hollywood more than 80 years ago and what I was dreaming about was to remake this story of a glamorous super elegant woman in New York,” said Giornetti. New York, mind you, not LA–despite Ferragamo’s connection to Hollywood. “I wanted to play the story in a more vibrant, cool contemporary way so for me it was New York–here you have an energy that’s completely different,” he said.

If the grandeur of the setting and the star-packed crowd didn’t pack enough of a punch, Ferragamo recruited only the best models to walk the show–Maria Carla, Jac, Karolina Kurkova, Karlie Kloss to name a few. “I’m always inspired by personality, the attitude–that’s why I really wanted to have Maria Carla in New York with me because she has style and attitude, the same with Jac and Karolina (Kurkova) and Bianca (Balti),” said Giornetti. “It’s not just about beauty it’s about inner style.”

Inner style and good balance. We ended up riding the subway home with Karolina Kurkova (she’s just like us! Except tall and gorgeous and somehow she still looks cool in the middle of a sweltering 6 train!) who told us the fringed finale dress she closed the show in was incredibly heavy. “I had to kick it forward to walk,” she explained.

Also, as promised, here’s the creepy stalker phone pic I took of Scott Speedman, who understandably looks like he wants to hit me. But it was Ben Covington, and I know too many people who moved to NYC because of Felicity and still revere Ben as their ultimate crush, and I could not let them down! (Also, I was officially tweeting for Ferragamo during the show and was supposed to be taking pix, OK?)

**All runway photos: courtesy Ferragamo