On the day I arrived in Florence, the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo was actually closed to the public. So it was a real treat to have the museum be opened specifically just for my visit. Imagine, my very own private tour with the museum’s assistant director! I was thinking this: to be in a shoe museum (Ferragamo’s at that) and to have a private tour? Heaven times two! You should know that before I became a bag hag, I was a serious shoe fiend. And my first designer shoes were by Ferragamo. The court shoes with the signature gancini ribbon (I think I still have that pair in my parents’ place).
Salvatore Ferragamo was born in 1898 and he was the 11th out of 14 children. His family initially did not want him to be a shoemaker but when his sister needed shoes for her Holy Communion/ Confirmation, he made her a pair and that was pretty much the beginning of his career. At the age of 16, he was fortunate enough to have been able to travel to the U.S. He moved to Santa Barbara from Boston and later to Hollywood where he worked in the film industry, making shoes for the actresses. But these actresses wanted his shoes not just for the stage but also for their private life. And it was there that he earned a reputation for being the “shoemaker to the stars”. In 1927 he returned to Italy and settled in Florence. He bought the palazzo in 1938 where he also established his workshop. In the 40s he was already able to produce 350 pairs of shoes per day with 60 people– all those shoes made without the aid of machines! Salvatore really had a vision. And it was also around that time that he saw the need to document and archive his designs. So he made doubles of shoes that he designed– one for his client and one that he would keep for the archives. At the time of his death (he sadly succumbed to cancer), he had already made 8,000 pairs of shoes! The Ferragamo archives today has roughly about 14,000 shoes! Thank goodness for the archives as it is because of his vision that we are all able to enjoy and appreciate that look back at his designs– and realize what a true visionnaire of a shoemaker he was!
Here are some of the shoes that you’d see at the museum.
Very Mod! Made between 1958- 59 for Marilyn Monroe, these Mod pumps were very en vogue at that time. I think it would fit right in now.
Lucite sole. I don’t know if these would be comfortable today, but Salvatore really liked to push design limits. I think it’s incredible that someone would actually have thought about this! Looks amazing!
WOW.
Incredible collage of his shoes with birds from the Natural history museum
I would love to own those two pair of booties. Salvatore looked to a lot of things around him for inspiration for his shoes.
British Milliner Stephen Jones’ works are also part of the exhibition.
Platforms have been there since time immemorial. But Salvatore made sure they were stylish. Color blocking on heels? He’s done it! In fact, I wouldn’t doubt that he pioneered it, with this platform sandal!
This reminds me of the cage shoes that Chanel made some years ago. Do note that Ferragamo was FIRST with this particular design. It was not Chanel.
This would be right at home today with some of the other designer lace-up booties. Ferragamo was really ahead of his time.
Nylon thread shoes with the Ferragamo signature wedge. You see that many of the shoe designers today are inspired by Ferragamo.
Exquisite!
Innovative. Ferragamo used rafia for the upper and then cork for the heel of this shoe. This was made somewhere between 1936- 1938.
Marilyn Monroe’s court shoe in crocodile and suede. I think this is one of the most beautiful classic pumps ever designed. Made between 1958- 1959 specifically for Ms. Monroe.
There were sooo many pairs of shoes at the museum and I was told they would go on rotation just to bring in the other pairs from the archives. As of my visit, the exhibition was called Inspiration and Vision. And for March 21 until June 1, the exhibition is called Secret Archives.
*Big sigh*– I would love to go back because that means new shoes from the archive will be on display! I can only imagine what their shoe archive/ library/ warehouse looks like…
If you go to Florence, you cannot not visit the Salvatore Ferragamo Museo. It’s definitely a MUST. You are missing out on one of Firenze’s most important history if you don’t go. It was incredible to have visited and I wish I had more time to linger on (I’d probably have gone to the museum for 2 straight days and stay for hours), but I had to go back to Milan for it was already the beginning of fashion week.
The Salvatore Ferragamo Museo is open daily (except Tuesdays) from 10am- 6pm. Entrance fee is only 5 Euros (well worth the price!). For more information, please visit MuseoFerragamo.It
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TheBagHag