Salvatore Ferragamo Italia S.p.A Company History

1890s:

1898 June 5th:
Salvatore Ferragamo is born in Bonito, in the province of Avellino, the 11th of 14 children.

1910s:

1910:
At age 11, he starts as an apprentice to a shoemaker in Naples.
1912:
Salvatore Ferragamo opens a small shop in Bonito and makes made-to-measure shoes for local ladies.
1914:
He immigrates to America to join one of his brothers who works in a shoe factory in Boston making "Queen Quality Shoe". Salvatore works there for 15 days.
1919:
He goes to another brother in Santa Barbara, California, and lives at 719 California Street. Ferragamo opens a repairs and made-to measure shoe shop at 1033 State Street, Santa Barbara. He starts working for the American Film Co. and studies human anatomy at the University of California.

1920s:

1921:
After a car accident in which his brother Elio is killed and he breaks a leg, Salvatore Ferragamo patents a traction system for bones in the foot and leg.
1923:
He opens the Hollywood Boot Shop in Boulevard Las Palmas, Hollywood, frequented by film actresses.
1924:
He makes shoes for the stars of Cecil B. De Mille's "The Ten Commandments" and Raoul Walsh's "The Thief of Baghdad."
1927:
He makes shoes for the stars of Cecil B. De Mille's "The King of Kings." He also comes back to Italy where he opens his first laboratory in Via Mannelli 57, where he produces women's shoes initially reserved just for the American business. The first Salvatore Ferragamo Company starts.

1930s:

1930:
Futurist painter Lucio Venna produces Ferragamo's first advertising and designs the label for Ferragamo's creations.
1934:
Ferragamo rents new premises in Palazzo Spini Feroni in the middle of Florence.
1937 December 13th:
Salvatore is granted the first patent in the history of fashion, for a cork wedge heel, and the first magazine article on Ferragamo appears in American Vogue.
1938:
He buys Palazzo Spini Feroni for 3,400,000 lire and opens the Florence store, in the same building and stores in London (Old Bond Street) and Rome (Via Condotti).
1939:
He opens a store in Milan (Via Montenapoleone) and buys Villa IL Palagio, in Maiano, as a residence.

1940s:

1940 November 9th:
Ferragamo marries Wanda Miletti; they have six children - Fiamma, Fulvia, Giovanna, Leonardo, Ferrucio and Massimo.
1947:
Ferragamo receives in Dallas the Neiman Marcus Award for his "invisible" sandal.
1948:
He opens the first Ferragamo store in New York on Park Avenue, now on Fifth Avenue.
1949:
He creates the first calf and pony-skin bag. Pietro Annigoni paints Salvatore Ferragamo's portrait.

1950s:

1950:
For the first time Ferragamo goes Far East looking for contact in Japan. Moda Imports is set up in New York to distribute Ferragamo products in America.
1951 February 12th:
Ferragamo takes part in the first Italian fashion show, in Florence, with a sandal "Kimo" for the Schuberth models.
1954:
For the actress Audrey Hepburn, Ferragamo creates one of his most famous styles: a suede ballerina with a strap.
1955:
Florentine painters design the first Ferragamo silk scarves, forerunners of those produced in the Seventies.
1956:
Ferragamo creates an 18-karat gold sandal for an Australian customer, travels to Australia and interviewed by Australian press and radio.
1957:
The autobiography of Salvatore Ferragamo, "Shoemaker of Dreams," is published in London.
1958:
Salvatore Ferragamo creates a bag where for the first time appears the Gancino accessory.
1959:
The first collection of Giovanna by Ferragamo clothing for Lord & Taylor is designed by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo, the second daughter of Salvatore and Wanda Ferragamo.

1960s:

1960 August 8th:

Salvatore Ferragamo died in Poveruomo, Italy. Wanda Ferragamo takes over as head of the company. Their 17-year-old daughter, Fiamma, manages the women's shoe business.

1965:

Women's ready-to-wear collections by Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo start showing twice a year in the Sala Bianca in Palazzo Pitti.
Production begins on Ferragamo bags, headed by Fiamma di San Giuliano Ferragamo.

1967:

Fiamma Di San Giuliano Ferragamo receives the Neiman Marcus award for creativity in footwear in Dallas.

1970s:

1970 :

The company begins producing men's shoes and clothing, to be expanded in the Eighties by Leonardo Ferragamo. Salvatore Ferragamo products started to be sold through department stores in Japan.

1971:

Regular production of silk scarves and later ties, in Milan, begins under the direction of Fulvia Visconti Ferragamo.

1974:

Ferragamo's store opens on Fifth Avenue.

1978:

Fiamma creates one of the brand's most famous shoes, the Vara.

1980s:

1985:

A Salvatore Ferragamo exhibition opens in Palazzo Strozzi in Florence. It is the first retrospective for a fashion brand in Italy.

1986:

Ferragamo Hong Kong is established to distribute products in Asia.

1987:

A Salvatore Ferragamo retrospective opens at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London and becomes the most visited exhibition of that year.

1989:

Expansion starts in Hong Kong with the opening of a store in the Mandarin Hotel.

1990s:

1990:

The top-handle bag with the famous Gancino decorative motif is created.

1992:

Ferragamo Ladies Boutiques Japan - that later in 2000 became Ferragamo Japan is established in Tokyo to distribute products there.
A retrospective on the company opens in the Los Angeles County Museum.

1994:

Ferragamo opens in Shanghai, at Shanghai Maison Mode, marking the start of expansion in China.

1995:

A Salvatore Ferragamo Museum, dedicated to footwear and the history of the company, opens in Palazzo Spini Feroni.

1996:

Ferragamo makes shoes for Madonna when she plays the title role in "Evita".

1998:

For the centenary of the birth of Salvatore Ferragamo, a retrospective opens in Tokyo (Sogetsu Kai Foundation) and the first Competition for Young Footwear Designers is announced.
Ferragamo enters a licensing agreement with eyewear maker Luxottica.
Salvatore Ferragamo Pour Femme is launched.
September 28th: Fiamma di San Giuliano Ferragamo dies after a long illness.

1999:

Salvatore Ferragamo Pour Homme is launched.

2000:

2001:
Ferragamo perfumes are produced and distributed by the company's own fragrance division.
2002:
A Ferragamo flagship opens in Seoul.
2003:

Ferragamo opens its flagship in Ginza, in Tokyo.
Ferragamo expands on Fifth Avenue, christening a larger flagship. The company launches watches in 150 boutiques.

2004:
Made-to-measure men's "Tramezza" shoes are introduced. A Ferragamo flagship opens in Osaka, Japan.
2005:
To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the opening of the first store in Beijing, Ferragamo showed its men's and women's collections in the Forbidden City.
2006:

March 23rd: The exhibition "Walking Dreams" opens in the Museo de Bellas Artes in Mexico City.
September: A new fragrance for women, F by Ferragamo, is launched.
October: Michele Norsa is appointed CEO of the group, becoming the first manager outside the Ferragamo family to hold that position.
October 8th: Ferragamo is slated to receive the Walk of Style Award in Beverly Hills, in celebration of its work in films.
December 5th: Re-opening of the Museum Salvatore Ferragamo in a new location on the basement of Palazzo Spini Feroni. A number of famous shoe models (Ferragamo's Creations) have been reproduced and sold in Salvatore Ferragamo's Florence store.

2007:

June 21st: Licensing agreement between Salvatore Ferragamo and Timex Group for the production and distribution of a new collection of high-end timepieces.
September: A new fragrance for men, F by Ferragamo, is launched.

2008:

March: 80th anniversary event.
April: The new timepieces collection was launched at Baselworld, the world's most prestigious watch and jewellery fair.
September: Triennale Design Museum in Milan, presents the exhibition "Salvatore Ferragamo Evolving Legend 1928-2008".
October: Salvatore Ferragamo defines the interior design of the exclusive Penthouses in the Pentominium building in Dubai.

2009:

January: Salvatore Ferragamo creates Nicole Kidman's shoe wardrobe for the film "Australia". A film directed by Baz Luhrmann and from Twentieth Century Fox.
February: Museo Salvatore Ferragamo inaugurates the "Greta Garbo. The Mystery of Style" exhibition at the Triennale di Milano.
October 26th: Salvatore Ferragamo launches its online store.

2010:

April: The new Attimo fragrance is launched with Dree Hemingway as the face for the campaign.
July: Massimiliano Giornetti is appointed new Creative Director of Salvatore Ferragamo Group.
November: Museo Salvatore Ferragamo opens the "A Regola d'Arte" exhibition at Palazzo Spini Feroni.

2011:

May: Museo Salvatore Ferragamo inaugurates the "Salvatore Ferragamo. Inspiration and Vision" exhibition, exploring the founder's artistic inspiration and hosting masterpieces by Andy Warhol, Lucio Fontana, Fortunato Depero, Giacomo Balla and Sonia Delaunay.
June 28th: For the first time, Salvatore Ferragamo presents its Resort Collection in New York.
June 29th: Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. is listed on the Italian stock exchange organized and managed by Borsa Italiana S.p.A.
July 5th: Salvatore Ferragamo presents the first jewellery collection designed in collaboration with Gianni Bulgari.

Quick navigation

Follow us on