Connecting the dots on the history timeline is an educational hobby. Making a connection between Santa Barbara and Florence, however, is just downright fun. The late great Salvatore Ferragamo is synonymous with Florence and Italian shoemaking, but did you know he had a shoemaking and shoe repair shop in Santa Barbara in 1919? The American Film Company was located here at the time and his business became known as the "shoe shop to the stars". Cecil B. De Mille commissioned him to make boots for his westerns. Mary Pickford and Gloria Swanson were big fans. Back then his shoes belonged to the realm of fantasy. Evening sandals were made of black satin. Stiletto heels looked like brass cages. A museum in Florence is filled with these early examples. Forget the Renaissance art. This is a reason to go back!
He returned to Italy in 1927. The Ferragamo brand is still going strong and the shoes are still made in Florence. As the photograph of my slingbacks show, his shoes are no longer surreal, but classic, functional and comfortable. They are worth the investment because they will last a lifetime. Now, that's history!
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