Mini Bookbag

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.

Vintage and designer backpacks do more than carry our books, notebooks, electronic devices and other possessions to and fro. They are also a reflection of personal taste and style. Whether it’s an understated solid color — black backpacks will remain forever timeless — or it’s emblazoned with a dazzling graphic pattern or an iconic fashion house’s logo, a backpack makes a statement.

In 1908, decades before the JanSports and Eastpaks of the world materialized, Norwegian Ole Bergan crafted the first backpack, whittling and shaping a juniper branch to support a robust canvas rucksack on his back. Twenty-five years later, the patent on Bergan’s wildly convenient and functional accessory expired, and backpacks became popular with hikers, campers and other outdoor enthusiasts as other designers and companies scrambled to develop their own iterations. During the late 1930s, the first zippered backpack appeared — for students, it was a significant improvement over carrying their books with a leather belt.

Some designer backpacks are sleek and sporty, while others attract attention with flashy brass hardware and a textured exterior flap. While the innumerable handbag lovers of our modern times continue to gravitate toward iconic labels — classic bags still rule — today’s shoppers are savvier and have a wider range of shopping options. Backpacks designed by universally renowned brands such as Gucci, Dior and Burberry are similarly alluring when it comes to finding the perfect carryall.

Heavy-duty nylon backpacks or those made with polyester are likely the most common, but many alternatives can be found in canvas, leather and suede. The best backpack for you might be one that is modest in size and discreet, and thus ideal for carrying a few items. If that sounds like what you need, explore crossbody bags and messenger bags, as they’re a bit easier to access and you don’t have to remove the bag to get to its contents. Others may seek a bag that is spacious enough to fit all of the supplies for an overnight hike, in which case, a sturdy, structured backpack might be a better fit.

Whether it is for fashion, function or both, there is a backpack suited to every individual. Find yours in the extensive collection of vintage and designer backpacks on 1stDibs.