His inspired designs and quality craftsmanship quickly brought him a growing customer base, and by the mids Ferragamo was operating two workshops to supply his customers. The late s were marked by a tightening supply of materials, such as leather and metal, that were essential to shoemaking, as the Mussolini-led government turned its attention to rebuilding the country's war machine. In response, Ferragamo began developing shoes based on a variety of other materials, such as felt, metallic threads, and raffia.
These materials inspired Ferragamo to create new and innovative designs, and his popularity soared in Italy. A major success came with Ferragamo's inspired use of cork to create the so-called "wedge" heel, thereby overcoming the lack of materials needed to produce traditional heels. The cork heel attracted customers and remained a company best-seller for years to come. Ferragamo's rising sales now allowed him to put down a down payment on the purchase of the Palazzo Spini Feroni building, which became the company's headquarters in Ferragamo's fortunes continued to rise despite the outbreak of World War II, and his company now owned the building outright.
The 13th century landmark building remained the company's headquarters and later housed the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum. The years following the end of World War II marked the period of Salvatore Ferragamo's greatest personal success, as his shoe designs became known throughout the world. In , he released the so-called "invisible" sandal. That design received the prestigious Neiman Marcus Award, marking the first time this honor went to a footwear designer.
Another significant innovation was Ferragamo's steel-reinforced stiletto heel, which became closely identified with Marilyn Monroe in the s. By , Ferragamo employed some workers, who produced just handcrafted and for the most part custom-fitted shoes per day. During the s, Ferragamo began mechanizing non-critical areas of the shoemaking process. However, the major part of his shoes remained fashioned by hand. Toward the end of the s, Ferragamo prepared to introduce a new generation into the family business.
Married in , Ferragamo was the father of six children, three boys and three girls. In the late s, the oldest child, daughter Fiamma, joined the company and began learning design and shoemaking from her father. Salvatore Ferragamo died in , leaving the business to his family. Ferragamo's widow, Wanda, who had previously stayed at home to raise the couple's children, now took the lead of the company and quickly displayed her abilities as a businesswoman.
The other Ferragamo children joined the company during the s, each taking responsibility for a particular sphere of operation.
Eldest son Ferruccio later took over as CEO, while Fiamma carried on the creative side of the business. Within a year after her father's death, Fiamma Ferragamo had already debuted her first collection, in London, to great acclaim. She also became something of an ambassador for the company, personally making sales appearances at major clients throughout the world.
Making his first pair of shoes aged nine for his sisters confirmation, Ferragamo decided he had found his craft. Deciding to emigrate, he moved to Boston in , where one of his brothers worked in a cowboy boot factory. After a short time working at the factory, Ferragamo convinced his brothers to move to California. Residing in Santa Barbara, Ferragamo opened a boot shop in Four years later, Ferragamo opened another boot shop in Hollywood. In , Ferragamo returned back to his native country, settling in Florence.
Opening a workshop in the Via Mannelli, he started to experiment with design. Career After studying shoemaking in Naples for a year, Ferragamo opened a small store based in his parent's home. In , he emigrated to Boston, where one of his brothers worked in a cowboy boot factory. After a brief stint at the factory, Ferragamo convinced his brothers to move to California, first Santa Barbara then Hollywood. It was here that Ferragamo found success, initially opening a shop for repair and made-to-measure shoes, which soon became prized items among celebrities of the day, leading to a long period of designing footwear for the cinema.
However, his thriving reputation as 'Shoemaker to the Stars' only partially satisfied him. He could not fathom why his shoes pleased the eye yet hurt the foot, so he proceeded to study anatomy at the University of Southern California. After spending thirteen years in the United States, Ferragamo returned to Italy in , this time settling in Florence.
He began to fashion shoes for the wealthiest and most powerful women of the century, from the Maharani of Cooch Behar to Eva Peron to Marilyn Monroe. He opened a workshop in the Via Mannelli, concentrating his efforts in experimenting with design, applying for patents for ornamental and utility models and some related inventions.
Salvatore Ferragamo, born on 5 th June was a known shoe designer from Italy. His interest in shoemaking sparked at an early age and since then he was ambitious about his career. For Ferragamo, his business was not just about earning but it was also about showing the world what perfection is. Ferragamo was born in Bonito, Italy and grew up among thirteen siblings. His shoe fetish started from the age of nine when he made some for his sisters.
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