Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A.

Founding

In 1915, Salvatore Ferragamo emigrated from southern Italy to the United States to join his siblings who had already emigrated to the U.S.^[6] He briefly worked at Thomas G. Plant Shoe Factory in Boston, Massachusetts, before moving to Santa Barbara, California, to join his brothers.^[6] He opened the Hollywood Boot Shop in 1923 and made shoes for movie stars, such as Joan Crawford and Gloria Swanson, as well as for films, such as Cecil B. DeMille's feature film The Ten Commandments.^[3][7]

Following his success in California, Ferragamo returned to Florence, Italy, in 1927 to incorporate his eponymous label and open a factory to produce his shoes, due to a lack of artisan shoemakers in the U.S.^[8] His factory combined the city's artisanal techniques with the efficient production system of American factories, which became a training ground for apprentices.^[8]

As a result of the Great Depression and the company's reliance on businesses in the U.S., Ferragamo struggled financially and filed for bankruptcy in 1933.^[9] By 1938, he had recovered financially and purchased Palazzo Spini Feroni in Florence, which has housed the company's headquarters, flagship store, and Salvatore Ferragamo Museum since.^[7][10] In 1948, the company opened its first directly operated store in the U.S. at 424 Park Avenue in New York City.^[11]

Death of Salvatore Ferragamo

Salvatore Ferragamo died in August 1960, leaving control of the growing company to his wife, Wanda Ferragamo.^[12] She expanded its operations to include silk scarves, fragrances,^[13] leather handbags,^[14] ready-to-wear, and small leather goods.^[15]

Recent developments

Despite several changes of leaderships and growth, the company remained privately held by the Ferragamo family until it went public on the Milan stock exchange in 2011.^[2] As of 2022, members of the Ferragamo family remain majority shareholders with approximately 65% combined stakes in the company, which is chaired by Leonardo Ferragamo, the fifth son of Salvatore and Wanda Ferragamo.^[2]

Marco Gobbetti, former CEO of Burberry, has been the CEO of the company since January 2022, succeeding Micaela le Divelec, who led the company since July 2018.^[16]

Salvatore Ferragamo announced it did not own stores in Russia and shipments to the franchise operation ceased after the Russian invasion of Ukraine.^[17]

In 2022, in an effort to modernize the brand, Salvatore Ferragamo was rebranded as "Ferragamo" (stylized as FERRAGAMO) and debuted a new logo ahead of its SS23 show during Milan Fashion Week. The show was the first under the creative direction of Maximilian Davis and was met with generally favorable responses, with critics noting the modernized tailoring.^[18] Davis described the collection as being about "ease and sensuality".^[19] Although revenue in the first nine months of 2023 was down 8.3% (with a 20% decline in US sales) compared to the same time period in 2022, CEO Marco Gobetti was "pleased by the early results" of Davis's work for Ferragamo.^[20]

Throughout its history, the company has been known for innovative designs and use of materials; in California, Salvatore studied human anatomy in effort to make more comfortable shoes. Notable innovations include the wedge heel; the shell-shaped sole; the ‘invisible’ sandal; metal heels and soles, made famous by Marilyn Monroe; the 18-carat gold sandal; the sock-shoe; sculpture heels; and the gloved arch shoe, created for the Maharani of Cooch Behar in 1938.^[7] The company is also known for its ‘Gancini’ decoration, the ‘Vara’ patent ballet pump, the Salvatore bag, and its use of patchwork.^[7]

Footwear and leather goods are the focus of the brand, representing over 86% of its revenue in 2021.^[1] It also has an extensive range of women's and men's footwear, from formal, evening, to leisure wear.^[21] Men's footwear is manufactured using several techniques, including lasted, tubular, stitched, and "Tramezza" stitched welting.^[21] Leather goods, such as handbags, suitcases, belts, and wallets often feature the distinctive and signature "Gancino" clasp, which was originally designed as a handbag fastening.^[22] The company also offers made-to-order products for customers seeking unique designs not found in stores.^[21]

Other products include men and women's ready-to-wear^[23] and the brand's signature silk products, including ties, foulards, pocket square, and scarves.^[24] Ferragamo fragrances are produced and distributed by Inter Parfums, Inc. through an exclusive licensing agreement.^[25] The company also produces licensed eyewear and Swiss-made watches in partnership with Marchon and Timex Group. In 2014, Ferragamo began adding NFC tags to their products in an effort to discourage counterfeits.^[26]

• 2011–2016: Massimiliano Giornetti^[27]
• 2019–2022: Paul Andrew^[28]
• 2022–present: Maximilian Davis^[5]

For its advertising campaigns, Salvatore Ferragamo has been working with photographers including David Sims (2013),^[29] Craig McDean (2016),^[30] Peter Lindbergh (2017),^[31] Walter Pfeiffer (2017),^[32] Luca Guadagnino (2020),^[33] Rafael Pavarotti (2023)^[34] and Tyler Mitchell (2023).^[35]

Salvatore worked with film stars and celebrities from his earliest days in Hollywood. Clients over the years included Audrey Hepburn, Sophia Loren, and Greta Garbo, as well as Andy Warhol, Seulgi, Grace Mugabe, Princess Diana, and Namal Rajapaksha.^[7] The company made handbags for Margaret Thatcher^[36] and boots for Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck during his coronation on November 6, 2008, in Thimpu, Bhutan.^[37]

• Fashion in Italy, France, and the United States
• Christian Louboutin, Gucci, and Tod's
• Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH), Kering, and Richemont

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