Una passeggiata nelle scarpe di Salvatore Ferragamo's

I was very glad that we were able to make the most of our last day in Florence and visit the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum.  Before this visit to the museum, I only knew that Salvatore Ferragamo was a popular Italian designer, who is well known for his shoes.  We were able to learn more from the tour and go into more detail about Ferragamo's pieces and his inspirations, rather than just reading the desc

ription for each of his works. I thought it was interesting it was interesting to see the wooden shoe molds of well known Hollywood names such as Ava Gardner, Ingrid Bergman,  Audrey Hepburn( who had such tiny feet), Katherine Hepburn, Sophia Lauren and Bette Davis, it was a great exhibit to start off with.  Salvatore Ferragamo was not just a designer, he was an artist whose works we

re inspired by Rome and Pompeii.  Some facts about Ferragamo that I would have never known without visiting this museum were:

The shape of  Ferragamos wedges were shaped to look like and F for Ferragamo






          
                Salvatore Ferragamo used fish skin for many of his designs rather  
                than other animal skin because it was cheapest and unique.








He also used cork for his wedges, also because it was cheap, and because it was a comfortable form of heel.






__________________________________________________________________________________
              F A S H I O N     VS      A R T
  

 The shoes throughout this museum were very vintage. The piece that caught my eye was the sandal that was made of 18 karat gold, which was created in 1956.  This is a shoe that would be admired by any person no matter their style, since it is so unique.

This sandal was the most extraordinary invention, that Ferragamo patented in 1956, as well as the most costly.

18 karat gold sandal 1956

Adoration of the Magi 1423

This painting called the Adoration of the Magi from the Italian Renaissance in 1423 caught my eye of its similarity to the 18 karat gold sandal because of its detailing.  It is made of beeswax and is painted on wood paneling.  This painting presents the complete story of the adoration of the magi as described in the Bible; from the announcement of the birth of Christ.  The top arches of this painting as well as the lines going down the left and right inner columns, reminded me of the braiding in the straps of the shoe.  The very top of the arch's design is very similar to the design in the heel of the shoe.  

Web Gallery of Art.  Biography. "Adoration of the Magi"
     http://www.wga.hu/frames-e.html?/html/g/gentile/adormag1.html
 Museo Salvatore Ferragamo.  "Shinning Heels and Soles".  
       http://www.museoferragamo.it/en/collezione-materialitacchi.php