Salvatore Ferragamo White Leather Handbag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 10 in (25.4 cm)Width: 31 in (78.74 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU442319436632
Salvatore Ferragamo
A perfectionist who as a child crafted a pair of white shoes for his sister’s first holy communion because his parents couldn’t afford new footwear, Salvatore Ferragamo was ambitious from his earliest days. The young Italian shoemaker established in the years that followed what would one day become a fashion empire — the highly profitable multinational family-owned and -operated luxury brand today counts more than 600 stores in 96 countries around the world, and vintage Salvatore Ferragamo shoes, belts, handbags and other clothing and accessories are objects of desire for fashion lovers everywhere.
Salvatore Ferragamo sought an education in the art of shoemaking when he was eleven — he apprenticed with a local shoemaker and spent a short time in nearby Naples learning what he could at a shoe factory. He opened his first shop with a handful of workers the following year, and in 1914 — when he was still a teenager — Ferragamo emigrated to America, just as his siblings had before him, seeking new opportunities for work and to learn in the footwear trade.
After securing a job at the Plant Shoe Factory in Boston, Massachusetts, Ferragamo was uninspired by machine-made footwear. He moved across the country to Santa Barbara, California. Owing to a connection he made with a then-actor cousin, Ferragamo found work with the American Film Manufacturing Company. He made women’s shoes and provided durable cowboy boots for a film crew’s costuming department. Ferragamo’s reputation in the world of Hollywood cinema soon broadened, and he established a storefront in Mission Canyon where he made shoes by hand for the likes of actresses Gloria Swanson, Greta Garbo and Dolores del Río.
By the 1920s, film directors commissioned Ferragamo to produce shoes for a range of movies — the list of films eventually included The Ten Commandments, The Covered Wagon and The Thief of Baghdad. When he felt comfortable enough with the English language, Ferragamo also enrolled in anatomy courses at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in order to better understand motion and the demands that we place on our footwear.
By the late 1920s, Ferragamo sought to expand production of his shoes and returned to Italy. He hired scores of apprentices to work in a factory in Florence, where Ferragamo carefully melded the principles of handcraftsmanship with all that he learned about America’s shoe factories. He filed patents — hundreds over the years — on the steel shank arch and many other unique aspects of his shoe design, and when economic and political influences during the 1930s forced Ferragamo to substitute pressed cork for steel to support the arch, the wedge heel was born. Other creative materials he integrated into his forward-looking creations were hemp, felt, nylon fishing line, fish skin and cellophane twisted with silk.
In the late 1940s, the brand’s first storefront opened in Manhattan, and today Salvatore Ferragamo is known worldwide and is synonymous with a wealth of iconic footwear such as Viva ballet flats, Vara Bow pumps, Gancini loafers and lots more. Ferragamo’s son, Ferruccio, was appointed CEO in 1984. Under his leadership, Ferruccio diversified and expanded the fashion business further, getting into sunglasses, fragrance, watches and made-to-measure men’s shoes. Ferruccio was succeeded by his brother, Leonardo Ferragamo, and British designer Maximilian Davis is now creative director of the brand.
Find vintage Salvatore Ferragamo shoes, clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: London, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- Black Gucci Shoulder BagBy GucciLocated in London, GBA great black bag by Gucci. The body of the bag is black Gucci fabric with logo woven in. It has black patent lower corners and handle, and an inter...Category
Early 2000s Italian Shoulder Bags
- Vintage Bon Gout Black Crocodile BagBy Bon GoutLocated in London, GBA chic vintage crocodile bag by Bon Gout . This super shiny crocodile bag is large enough for todays essentials, measuring Width 13'', height 7 1/2 '', and d...Category
1950s Danish Structured Shoulder Bags
- Vintage Red Snakeskin Handbag with chain handleLocated in London, GBA chic vintage snakeskin handbag with gilt trim and chain handle. The bag has a popper fastening and internally there is a zip pocket. Mesur...Category
1960s Unknown Shoulder Bags
- Vintage Party Sparkly BagLocated in London, GBA great bag for the party season. In a pretty mix of blue ,lilac, pink and green. The bag has a flap over front, with a popper fastening . Internally there is one pouch pocket and a ...Category
1980s Unknown Shoulder Bags
- Wonderful Vintage Leather Bag with Beautiful Frame and ClaspLocated in London, GBA chic white leather vintage bag with attractive frame and clasp. The strap could be changed to chain one, or a longer leather on if preferred. Inside there is one pouch pocket . Me...Category
1960s American Shoulder Bags
- Black Gucci Shoulder BagBy GucciLocated in London, GBA great black bag by Gucci. The body of the bag is black Gucci fabric with logo woven in. It has black patent lower corners and handle, and an inter...Category
Early 2000s Italian Shoulder Bags
- Louis Vuitton Vanilla Epi Nocturne GM Bag, Compact Wallet and Make Up Bag SetBy Louis VuittonLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in handbag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Louis Vuitton always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. This beautiful bag takes timeless creation...Category
2010s French Shoulder Bags
- Gucci Guccissima Gray Leather Indy Top Handle Crossbody Strap BagBy GucciLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in handbag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Gucci always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. The edgy bag takes timeless creation to a new level of sophistication and charm. Made from the finest materials that you would expect from the Gucci House. A classic Guccissima bag...Category
2010s Italian Shoulder Bags
- Judith Leiber Vintage Silk Crystals Flap 2-Way Clutch Shoulder Tassel BagBy Judith LeiberLocated in Fort Lauderdale, FLThe ultimate in handbag making luxury craftsmanship. The Iconic House of Judith Leiber always provides us with timeless and classic pieces. This beautiful bag takes timeless creation...Category
1990s Italian Shoulder Bags
- Louis Vuitton x Yayoi Kusama Capucine MM BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in London, GBIntroducing the mesmerising fusion of luxury and avant-garde artistry - the Louis Vuitton Capucine MM bag, a stunning collaboration with...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoulder Bags
- Hermès Special Order Kelly Sellier 35cm Noir Veau Epsom GHWBy HermèsLocated in London, GBA gorgeous Hermès Kelly 35cm bag. The exterior of this Special Order Kelly features a sellier style in noir black veau epsom leather. The noir leather is complemented with gold hardw...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Shoulder Bags
- Goyard Black Bellechasse Biaude PM BagBy GoyardLocated in London, GBA lovely Bellechasse Biaude PM handbag by Goyard from the Bellechasse Biaude collection. The exterior is crafted in black Decize Taurillon leather & Cervon calfskin leather with pall...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags