Salvatore Ferragamo

1898-1960

(bio.com)

Salvatore Ferragamo
Biography:

            Salvatore Ferragamo revealed a great passion for shoes at a very young age (Museo Ferragamo). He was an apprentice to a shoemaker at the age of 11 and opened his own shop at age 13.  A year later he joined one of his brothers in America who worked for a large shoe company (Museo Ferragamo). While in the United States, he studied shoemaking techniques and then opened a design shop where he made all of the shoes by hand because he believed that machine making had too many limitations (Alford). Ferragamo made shoes for popular film stars at the time, due to the fact that his style was dramatic and edgy and could only be worn by the women daring enough. His earlier designs were “fantasies of shape, color and fabric” (Alford). Throughout the time of Ferragamo’s life, he created the wedge heel, platform sole, and Lucite heel. He was fascinated by the way a heel could transform a woman and their outfit, which he gained inspiration from that to create his designs. 

(Voguepedia.com)

(stylesight.com)

(stylesight.com)

(stylesight.com)

Critical Analysis:

            Salvatore Ferragamo open his very first shoe shop in 1911 at the young age of thirteen (Museo Ferragamo). The zeitgeist of the 1910s included low pay for workers, workers being killed in factories due to machine malfunctions and fires, and the creation of the Waltz and the two-step (American Decades). Throughout this decade, many changes were occuring in technology and new opportunities were created for fashion designers. Ferragamo handmade all of his shoes because he believed making them by machine took away the true beauty of them. In December 1914, "the first full-length feature comedy motion picture, Tillies Punctured Romance" was created (American Decades). The growth of the motion picture industry created an outlet for Ferragamo's extravagant and daring shoe designs. He aimed his work towards the new motion picture stars due to the fact that they were daring enough to wear the outrageous shoes which helped him gain publicity.

            Salvatore is an icon due to the fact that he has created many styles that are used today. He thought outside of the box and meshed ideas together like no other designer. Ferragamo’s designs were daring, crazy, edgy, yet elegant and beautiful. He created the perfect balance of craziness and elegance. The fact that he created all of his shoes by hand distinguishes him as an icon alone, but he also created the wedge and platform that are incredibly popular today and are see on almost any runway.

(stylesight.com)

Analysis of Future Trends:

            Ferragamo influenced the trend of the heel. The heel is universal. From businesswomen to runway models, the platform heel and wedge heel are worn around the world. He has influenced almost any designer today who incorporates a wedge or platform in their collection, such as Marc Jacobs or Louiboutin. His lasting signature silhouette is the wedge and platform heel due to the fact that it is worn worldwide.

            I personally do not own any Salvatore Ferragamo designs, but I own many items inspired by him. I own platform heels and many wedge heels. It is fascinating to notice the similarities in style to Ferragamo’s work within my own closet. The platform and wedge is seen in almost every woman's closet. Ferragamo has created the staples that hold fashion together today.

(voguepedia.com)

(styleight.com.)

Work Cited:

Bio.com. A&E Networks Television, n.d. Web. 30 Nov. 2013.

Tompkins, Vincent, Judith Baughman, Victor Bondi, Richard Layman, Eric L. Bargeron, and James F. Tidd. American Decades. Detroit: Gale Research, 1994. Print.

"The Cut." The Cut. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Dec. 2013.