Salvatore Ferragamo was born in 1898 to a poor family in Bonito in the Campania region, the eleventh of fourteen children. At age nine, after making his first shoes for himself and his sisters to wear at their confirmation, young Salvatore decided that he had found his calling.
After studying shoemaking in Naples for a year, 14-year-old Ferragamo opened a small store based in his parents' home. In 1914, he emigrated to Boston, Massachusetts where one of his brothers worked in a shoe factory. After working at the factory for a week, he relocated to California to join his other brothers. He also studied anatomy while there, to learn how to make his shoes more comfortable.
Ferragamo opened his own workshop in Hollywood in 1923, across from Grauman’s Egyptian Theatre and began creating shoes for the fledgling film industry. His craftsmanship quickly attracted attention, leading him to design boots for Westerns at Flying A Studios and bespoke shoes for actors such as Mary Pickford and Lillian Gish, helping to solidify his reputation in Hollywood.
In its main hall, the Egyptian Theatre hosted theatrical performances and all the Hollywood premiers, including The Ten Commandments directed by Cecil B. DeMille, who asked Ferragamo to design and make the shoes for the main characters. From that moment on, Ferragamo’s production would diversify into three lines: shoes for the movies, for the theatre and for the ballet. By the early 1920s, Ferragamo had established himself as a specialist in custom footwear for film actors. In 1923, he purchased the Hollywood Boot Shop on Hollywood Boulevard, attracting clients such as Rudolph Valentino, Gloria Swanson, Joan Crawford, and Clara Bow. His work for film stars earned him the nickname 'Shoemaker to the Stars'.
Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century footwear design, he was known for combining artisanal craftsmanship with technical innovation. Ferragamo pioneered new construction methods that emphasised comfort, balance, and structural support while maintaining beauty and elegance.
In August 1927, Ferragamo returned to Italy seeking greater control over production quality. He initially sought to establish his headquarters in Naples, but he was dismissed because of his time in America, and considered an expatriate. Other cities in Southern Italy proved no more receptive. After unsuccessful attempts in Rome he traveled north to Verona, Milan and Turin and later to Venice and Padua, encountering the same difficulty with prejudice in each city. Ferragamo ultimately settled in Florence, and working directly with artisans under his supervision, he developed innovative designs and production methods that laid the foundation for his future success.
During this period, he created shoes for many leading actors of the era, including "The Bella," a pair of black calfskin pumps with ankle straps and oversized vanilla bows worn by Gloria Swanson in the 1928 film Sadie Thompson.
Despite financial difficulties caused by the Great Depression, he developed several technical innovations. including the cork wedge heel and the steel shank, which improved stability and allowed for new silhouettes. These designs helped define women's footwear during the era and reinforced Ferragamo’s reputation as both a designer and an innovator.
"The Rainbow" shoe was created by Salvatore in 1938 and was the first instance of the platform shoe returning in modern days in the West. The platform sandal, using shaped slabs of cork covered in suede with gold kidskin straps, was designed for Judy Garland.
Material shortages during World War II prompted Ferragamo to experiment with unconventional materials, leading to some of his most distinctive designs. After the war, he resumed using luxury materials and expanded his business internationally. He was able to expand his operations in the 1950s, including a workforce of 700 artisans who made 350 pairs of shoes per day, by hand.
His shoes were worn by prominent figures including Maharani of Cooch Behar, Eva Perón, Marilyn Monroe, and Audrey Hepburn further solidifying the brand’s association with glamour and craftsmanship.
In 1957, Ferragamo published his autobiography Shoemaker of Dreams. He continued to oversee the company until his death on August 7, 1960 at the age of 62. Afterward, the business was carried on by his family, evolving into a global luxury fashion house.
His legacy is preserved through the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence. His life and work were the subject of the 2020 documentary film Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams.
“I shall go on for ever. I have only just begun to work. I am still perfecting myself for the work I have to do in the future. I have plenty of time. I know I am going to do it. If it is not done with this body it will be done with another. We are all flowing with the eternal tide, and of the eternal tide only is there no end."
From Salvatore Ferragamo’s autobiography, The Shoemaker of dreams
