To celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday, Tatler shares rare images of the woman behind Italian luxury brand Ferragamo
Throughout the history of fashion, there are multiple examples of brands that evolved from powerful fashion families. There are the Armani’s, the Prada’s, the Fendi’s, and of course the Gucci’s who were on the silver screen this year with House of Gucci—but let's not forget about The Ferragamos.
Known as the "shoemaker of dreams", Italian cobbler Salvatore Ferragamo created a fashion empire and passed on his family name for generations to come. As the 11th child of 14 from a poor Italian family, Ferragamo proved his dream of becoming a shoe apprentice by crafting shoes for his sister at the tender age of nine.
Starting out in a small Italian town, he eventually brought his craft in Hollywood and even studied human anatomy at the University of Southern California to learn how to make more comfortable shoes.
By then, his clients included Elizabeth Taylor, Greta Garbo, Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, as well as royalty, such as the Duchess of Windsor and Queen Elena of Italy. But behind the transformation from a shoemaker to the fashion house we know today was Ferragamo's wife, Wanda Miletti Ferragamo.
She made her late husband Salvatore Ferragamo's dream come true, and was described by the house as a "woman in balance". Although passed away in 2018 at the age of 96, we remember her brilliant drive with historical images on her 100th birthday:
