The Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, which recently inaugurated a new exhibition in Florence, is a space dedicated to the fashion house and Salvatore Ferragamo, the man known as the “Shoemaker to the Stars.” To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the opening of the first Salvatore Ferragamo store in Hollywood, the museum is hosting a new exhibition entitled “Salvatore Ferragamo, 1898-1960.”
The retrospective brings to light the most important chapters in Ferragamo’s life and career, from his birth in 1898, to his death in 1960. Viewers will see nine distinct sections, spanning the various stages of his career, there including milestones such as his first boot-store and his work on Cecil B. - DeMille’s “The Ten Commandments.” Through the impressive collection of photographs, art objects and videos, the exhibition features more than 300 pairs of shoes and 300 patents to shed some light on the painstaking attention to detail with which Ferragamo created some of the most iconic heels, such as the cork and the stiletto. Photographs include many famous clients for whom he designed, the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Joan Crawford. Alongside some of the best shoes in history, the exhibition shows Ferragamo’s dedication to entrepreneurship. It does so by detailing the patenting process for his products and explaining the craftsmanship behind the “Made in Italy” tag which is still very relevant today.
Curated by Stefania Ricci and Fondazione Ferragamo, the exhibition therefore recalls the history of the brand which today sees Trinidad-based British designer Maximilian Davis at the helm. In September, Cut’s fashion critic Cathy Horyn wrote that Davis had presented one of the best collections of Milan Fashion Week, clearly showing the direction the brand intends to take.