Born in 1898 in Bonito, Italy, Salvatore Ferragamo emigrated to America in 1914 and became "shoemaker to the stars" in Hollywood during the twenties. After designing shoes for Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, and even crafting Judy Garland's iconic red heels for The Wizard of Oz, he returned to Italy and founded his own house in 1927. The Palazzo Spini Feroni in Florence has been home to the company's flagship store and headquarters since 1938, and it’s also the location of the Ferragamo Museum, which contains over 13,000 models, including the legendary cage and wedge heels, as well as the invisible sandal. When Salvatore died in 1960, his widow took over and employed her six children to assist in the company's development, launching men's and women's ready-to-wear collections, in addition to eyewear, perfume, and accessories.
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| Salvatore Ferragamo, 1951 |
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| Sandals with uppers made up of calf white polychrome, 1959-60 |
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| Salvatore Ferragamo with Audrey Hepburn, 1954 |
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| 1939 Silk and Leather Evening Sandal (metmuseum.org) |
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| 1980's Kelly Handbang (Esty.com) |
Salvatore Ferragamo signature accent the "Gancini" is one way to identify the designer. Shaped like a backwards horseshoe, the logo, also called Gancino, which was developed in the late 1960's can be found on many of his handcrafted shoes and accessories.
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| Silk Green Pump, 1955-1962 (metmuseum.org) |
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| 1969 Ferragamo Shoe Ad |
