The story of the Salvatore Ferragamo Historical Archive goes hand-in-hand with the story of Salvatore himself. From the very beginning he meticulously kept prototypes, documents and photographs as well as newspaper clippings related to his business. After his passing in 1960, the Ferragamo family who is at the head of the Company, not only decided to preserve his entire collection but also to nurture this heritage with the same mindset of the Founder.
Our first archivist had been Salvatore himself, but it’s thanks to the commitment and passion of his eldest daughter, Fiamma Ferragamo, if the archive has consolidated over the years, becoming a vast and structured institution, organized in respect of the highest conservative standards. Fiamma Ferragamo assumed the role of Creative Director of the women’s shoes and leather department after the death of her father. She strongly supported the creation of a company museum and an archive to keep alive memories and values of the Ferragamo family for the new generations.
For these reasons, the new archive headquarters, completed and operational as of 2020 within the Ferragamo plant, near Florence, is dedicated to her.
In the central area is placed a big library, a part of the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo book collection made up of thousands of volumes and exhibition catalogs alongside art and fashion magazines. The Consultation Room is available for Ferragamo’s employees but also for students, journalists and industry professionals who need to carry out archival searches, always with the support of specialized personnel.
The space was also conceived as an exhibition space, where it’s possible to admire reproductions of historical shoes, photographs, artworks, and installations.
As of 2013, the Company’s historical archive is managed by the Fondazione Ferragamo which is also leading the digitalization of this heritage using the Samira software, a database capable of collecting information of vastly varying data types.
The Salvatore Ferragamo Archive is primarily an archive of products which are documented in every aspect from the design to the final manufacturing. It includes various collection among with shoes, handbags, small leather goods, clothing and silk printed accessories as well as documents, patents, pictures, films and artworks. All rooms are equipped with compact shelves and hangers to maximize the space and, and to protect the items from dust and light. Furthermore, room temperature and humidity are constantly monitored and comply with the international conservation standards according to the different materials.
