Salvatore Ferragamo Vintage Black Evening Sandals
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: 9.5 R (EU)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Material Notes:Silk and Leather
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Water Mill, NY
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU281215868
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: Water Mill, NY
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Lanvin High Style New Sandals, 2011By Lanvin ParisLocated in Water Mill, NYSigned and Dated 2011 Lanvin High Style New Sandals in Original Box and Dust Bag..sizes are shown bellowCategory
20th Century Italian Shoes
- Valentino Suede and Fox BootBy ValentinoLocated in Water Mill, NYValentino Suede, Fox and Silk Ribbon Black 4.5" Heel BootsCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- Koos Van Der Akker Vintage CoatBy Koos Van den AkkerLocated in Water Mill, NYKoos Emerald Green Long Coat with Green and Black Trim........Medium-LargeCategory
20th Century American Overcoats
- Eavis & Brown Beaded Evening DressBy Eavis & BrownLocated in Water Mill, NYEavis & Brown Fabulous Beaded Hand Made Dress..Size XSCategory
20th Century English Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Moschino Waist BagBy MoschinoLocated in Water Mill, NYCategory
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Handbags and Purses
- Michael Katz Two Piece Hand Painted Day or Evening EnsembleLocated in Water Mill, NYTwo Piece Hand Painted Ensemble-Sheath Dress and Flowing Jacket by Michael KatzCategory
20th Century American Clothing
- MIUMIU Fall 2008 RTW leather platform HeelsLocated in Carnate, ITMiu Miu platform heel. Collection Fall 2008 RTW. Featuring two different brown shades and orange details. Size 39. dimensions: heel 14 cm, insole 25 ...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Shoes
- F/W 1997 Gucci by Tom Ford GG Monogram Black Pony Hair Metal 4.5" Heel Boots 37CBy Gucci, Tom Ford for GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a pair of pony hair 'GG' monogram steel heel boots designed by Tom Ford for Gucci's Fall/Winter 1997 collection. The red velvet and black patent leather version of these h...Category
1990s Italian Shoes
- 1990s Dolce & Gabbana Brown Neoprene Boot Heels Size 38.5By Dolce & GabbanaLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a fabulous pair of brown neoprene Dolce and Gabbana heeled boots. From the late 1990s, these never before worn vintage boots are perfectly modern. The boots feature a small platform and patent leather toe. These rare boots...Category
1990s Italian Shoes
- Jimmy Choo Black Patent Strappy Sandal Heels - 40By Jimmy ChooLocated in West Palm Beach, FLJimmy Choo Black Patent Strappy Sandal Heels - 40. These adorable Jimmy Choo heels are in excellent condition with only minimal wear to the sole. They feature a simple, but feminin...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- Salvatore Ferragamo Black Pony Hair Loafers w/ Silver Front Buckle - 7AABy Salvatore FerragamoLocated in West Palm Beach, FLSalvatore Ferragamo Black Pony Hair Loafers w/ Silver Front Buckle - 7AA. These shoes have minor wear at the bottom of the soul and a small piece of the rubber underneath that is mi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes
- Salvatore Ferragamo Black Woven Leather Pump - 7AABy Salvatore FerragamoLocated in West Palm Beach, FLSalvatore Ferragamo Black Woven Leather Pump - 7AA. These shoes are in excellent condition with only visible wear to the soles. They feature a lovely black leather, an intricate wo...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoes