Shoes

Salvatore Ferragamo|Salvatore Ferragamo

1948–50 · leather · Costume Institute

Ferragamo's lush purple suede and gold metallic kid leather shoe is an exquisite example of historical influence in Italian fashion; the model reworks the basic construction of a fifteenth-century Italian men's shoe, almost always made of a tough leather and fitted with a soft-pointed toe. The wedge construction, thought to be both charmingly modern and instinctively reminiscent of the chopine, also dating to the fifteenth century, consolidates Ferragamo's eloquent historical recollection. The rich purple and gold colors seem to complete the design, recalling the eclectic and colorful banners of the Italian Renaissance.

Artist

Salvatore Ferragamo|Salvatore Ferragamo

Date

1948–50

Medium

leather

Culture

Italian

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Salvatore Ferragamo, 1973