Who founded the Italian luxury fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo in 1928?

Salvatore Ferragamo founded the Italian luxury fashion house Salvatore Ferragamo in 1928.

Ferragamo established the company in Florence after developing an international reputation as a shoemaker. He had first worked in the United States, including Hollywood, where his footwear attracted film stars. His approach combined careful study of anatomy with experimentation in materials, construction, and shape.

The brand became especially associated with innovative footwear. Ferragamo is credited with developing or popularising designs such as the wedge heel and the cage heel, and he worked with unusual materials during periods of scarcity. His famous rainbow sandal was created for actress Judy Garland in 1938, a different fact from the company’s founding.

The name can create a simple mix-up: Salvatore Ferragamo is both the founder’s full name and the label’s name. The company was founded in 1928, while the founder himself had begun making shoes decades earlier as a child in Italy.