Text: Dariga MasenovaFOOTWEAR IS A SUBJECT OF ART, AN IMPORTANT ARTIFACT CARRYING A DEEP CULTURAL CONTEXT. THIS IS THE LEGENDARY DESIGNER OF ITALIAN FOOTWEAR THOUGHT REALIZED FOR SALVATOR FERRAGAMO
In the heart of Florence, on the most fashionable Via de Tornabuoni street, amidst the splendor of Italian boutiques, there is the ancient palace of Spini Feroni, now owned by the Ferragamo family. Since 1995, a museum has been opened here dedicated to the life of the famous shoe maker Salvatore Ferragamo and his contribution to the development of the global shoe industry.
Vintage photographs of Hollywood stars who were close friends with Ferragamo, an exhibition of cult shoes, once created for Greta Garbo, Sophia Loren and Audrey Hepburn, create a unique aura of beauty and nostalgia. And the designer’s diaries about the anatomy of the human leg, which eventually led to the invention of revolutionary methods for making shoes, together with an exposition of more than 10 thousand different models of shoes, are really impressive.
The curators of the current exhibition Stefanie Ricci, Sergio Risaliti and Luca Scarlini explain that they gathered shoes that are interesting from a historical point of view, but "this is not a shoe exhibition in the usual sense." “It was important for us to make a cultural project at the intersection of philosophy, art and craftsmanship. Such an integral perception was during the Renaissance,” says Stefania Ricci, director of the museum.
Balloon boats of the beginning of the 19th century, as well as ancient Egyptian sandals, could become a type of shoes for Cinderella. By the way, according to Ricci, the manuscript with the first version of the tale of Cinderella was found in ancient Egypt.
In the story, the eagle stole a sandal from a girl named Fodoris, who then got to the pharaoh. According to her, the ruler also found his bride ... Shoes with wings were also specially created for the exhibition, as a reminder of the shoes in which the hero of myths of Ancient Greece flew - the god Hermes. Truly beautiful are also the vintage works of Ferragamo himself. The most “fabulous” of them are elegant crystal slippers in which Drew Barrymore played Cinderella in the Andy Tennant film.
The “Amazing Shoemaker” Salvatore Ferragamo knew all the subtleties of female psychology and understood that for the sake of the shoes of a dream a woman is capable of much. Therefore, who knows, maybe you will be inspired by the art of Salvatore Ferragamo and want to create your own magical pair of shoes?
EIGHT GOLD RULES FROM FERRAGAMO
Never wear a new pair of shoes for several hours at once. Let your feet get used to it, and gradually increase the wear time.
Never wear the same pair of shoes for two days in a row! Give her a minimum “rest” day before putting it on again.
Always use a special spoon when putting on shoes and boots.
Before removing shoes with laces, do not be lazy and untie them completely. After removing the shoes, place inside each pair of shoe braces. So they better keep their shape.
Wet shoes must be allowed to dry for one day, previously placed inside the spacer.
Every time you put on your shoes, they should be polished and polished with a special cream.
If you are not going to wear any pair of shoes in the near future, then soak it with a special cream, clean it, put it in a box and put it in a dry place where the sun's rays do not penetrate.
