Salvatore Ferragamo’s Splash of Spring Colours

The Salvatore Ferragamo – Woman store on Via Montenapoleone is a must-see for several really good reasons. I found myself surrounded by a lively palette of orange, purple and magenta which paint the accessory collection of scarves and leather goods in wild and wonderful floral and animal prints. If its shoes you’re after, stick to the left where an entire room displays stilettos and sexy flat sandals like striking strappy pairs with golden heels and strips of pink and grape leather knotted over the toes.

An elevated room at the end of the store was the highlight of my time spent there. It oozed a mysterious atmosphere implying that there was a treasure waiting to be discovered, so to satisfy my curiosity, I tip-toed up the few steps to find several limited edition shoes that are modeled in the founding father, Salvatore’s original designs. One such pair was a ‘spectator‘ court shoe, a style first captured for Marilyn Monroe. Available in red, gold and black, it features a steady 11cm heel. He spent time in Hollywood catering to the footwear desires of the stars at the time and then returned to Italy where he opened his workshop in Florence. Ferragamo even went so far as to gain an academic knowledge of the human anatomy which he relied on to create shoes that were as pleasurable to wear as they were pleasing to the eye – a trait for which Ferragamo footwear is globally renowned.