{ Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence, Italy }

June 29, 2016

One of the places I have always wanted to see since moving to Italy is the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence. When we went there last year, it happened to be closed for renovation, so a few weeks ago when my husband had to work in Florence for a day, I used the opportunity to tag along so I could finally take the tour. Luckily, Florence is an easy day trip from Rome—less than an hour and a half by train. We left in the morning and upon arrival, he headed to his meeting while I made my way to the museum just as it opened at 10:00.Mr. Ferragamo was an Italian shoe designer who studied shoemaking in Naples for one year before moving to the United States from 1914-1927, where he gained popularity among Hollywood stars for his exquisite handmade shoes. After living in America for thirteen years, Salvatore returned to Italy and settled in Florence, where he continued to make his mark in the world of couture fashion. The museum built in his honor is located in historic Piazza San Trinita and houses clothes, shoes and accessories from the 1930’s to present day.Pictured above is Ferragamo’s original work bench, along with some of the tools used for shoemaking.Just a few of the shoe molds used for Ferragamo’s celebrity customers: I spy Audrey Hepburn, Sofia Loren, and Bette Davis!Ferragamo once collaborated with Andy Warhol, which resulted in a series of portraits and the famous Campbell’s soup dress from the 1960’s.Several rooms in the museum are dedicated to creative gowns, many of which were showcased during past runway shows.Among his other collaborations, Ferragamo designed dresses to resemble the work of famous artists (my favorite was the gold sequined number).Not surprisingly, my favorite part of the museum was the shoe room. Did you know Ferragamo is credited for creating the wedge shoe in the 1903’s? Bless him for inventing such a wonderful footwear style women will always love for its comfort and height! If you notice the colorful-soled platform wedge in the center, that was actually the shoe that started it all, which he designed for Judy Garland and aptly named, ‘Over the Rainbow.’ I wish I had thought to get a detailed photo of it, but you can click here for a better shot. If you enjoy fashion, touring the Ferragamo Museum is such a unique opportunity to learn about some of its history, so I highly recommend adding it to your list of must-see places in Italy!