"Ninfea"

Salvatore Ferragamo

1938–39 · leather, silk · Costume Institute

Salvatore Ferragamo was the first manufacturer and designer to bring Italian shoes to the forefront of the footwear industry. Using his knowledge of American industrial methods gained during his stay in the U.S. between 1914 and 1927, Ferragamo availed himself of the skilled Italian labor pool to create a high quality, hand-made product for an international market. The designer's work is best known for its innovative use of materials, such as straw, raffia, cellophane, lace, and cork, and for the use of brilliant colors. Ferragamo pioneered the development of the wedge heel and platform sole in the 1930s. This well-known boot design by Ferragamo features a creative use of overlapping petal shapes in forming the upper. Ferragamo's attention to detail is evidenced by the fuchsia bar tacks at base of each seam.

Artist

Salvatore Ferragamo

Date

1938–39

Medium

leather, silk

Culture

Italian

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of the Italian Government, 1954