Salvatore Ferragamo' secrets

"Fashion and art, both aim to the uniqueness, the originality of results. Both pay attention to what happens in the world... I firmly and deeply believe to the infinite affinities that always mark the special relationship of one with the other!" There is not another statement better describing the work by Salvatore Ferragamo. Master who marked the Italian style through elaborations rich in fantasy, Ferragamo has stolen from the world of art certain colors and nuances to give them to fashion. Some of his models clearly demonstrate his relationship with the artists of the time, such as the Futurist painter Lucio Venna, author of the well-known label and advertising sketches of Ferragamo shoes.

The storyof the designer could be summarized as follows: born in a little town near Naples, he made his fortune in California as "shoemaker of the stars" in Los Angeles, before returning to Italy, in Florence, where he established his company. "Secret Archives", the exhibition which runs until June 1 in Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, precisely retraces the history of this small artisan company, now a brand in the world of fashion.

Ferragamo continuousaesthetic research and his invention of special constructions and materials, from high heels to the famous 'wedge' of cork, patented in 1936, take us on a journey through the genius and the talent of the designer: the exhibition is not just about the shoes specifically created by the "Shoemaker of dreams" for the Hollywood stars of yesterday and today, from Marilyn Monroe to Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Nicole Kidman, Angelina Jolie and Meryl Streep, but also patents, photographs, tools and fragments of his history. It's a unique opportunity to learn more about this cutting-edge designer, halfway between craftsman and artist.