Did you know that Ferragamo produces over 10,000 pairs of shoes per day? James Ferragamo tells us all about what makes them so special and coveted.

Continuing your family's legacy is never an easy task, especially if your grandfather is one of the pioneer shoemakers who revolutionised the industry, but James Ferragamo has proven that, while it is a challenging task, he can live up to his grandfather's success.

Recently named the Director of Women’s and Men’s Shoes and Leather Goods Division for Salvatore Ferragamo, he is set to wow the industry with his vision for the company and this includes the coming "The Art Of Shoemaking" exhibition, happening in Kuala Lumpur.

In anticipation of the exciting event, we sat down with James Ferragamo to talk about the art of shoemaking and his journey thus far.

 

 


 

I started working for the Salvatore Ferragamo Group in 1998. I have many memories of the company and I always like to remember all the advice and sayings that my grandmother - my icon - and my father have shared with me, and I’m very proud of my grandfather’s work and his way of life.

Since I joined the company, there are many projects that I’m proud of including the launch of the Audrey shoe, the Vara and Varina Made to Order project and new iconic bags like the Sofia, the Verve and the newest Fiamma. 

My late grandfather was a pioneer in his trade, having created more than 20,000 original shoe models and even studying the anatomy of the foot to fully hone the art of shoemaking.

Nowadays, Salvatore Ferragamo outputs nearly 10,000 pairs a day. We are confident that we have shoes “that always fit” our customers, thanks to the use of advanced technology that produces shoes in six widths, which in combination with lengths, offer about a hundred different measurements for each model.

Every pair of shoes requires ten days to makeThe production cycle consists of 134 stages, controlled and directed by specialised personnel. Many parts of the production process are still done by hand, such as modeling, leather cutting, and shoe mounting and joining.

Italian artisanship is very important to the Ferragamo brand because it was the vision of our founder Salvatore Ferragamo. All shoemakers are trained in-house using the brand’s original technical principles, passed down from generation to generation

The Ferragamo woman is someone who doesn’t shy away from expressing her femininity in a unique and original way by using distinctive shapes, details and accessories for emphasis.

 

“The Art of Shoemaking” exhibition is taking place from 29th to 31st July 2015 at Level 3 (outside the Salvatore Ferragamo boutique), Pavilion KL.


(Photos: Salvatore Ferragamo)

More Salvatore Ferragamo: Take a look inside Salvatore Ferragamo 'Vara and Varina Made-to-Order' cocktail party