Pictured: C200 Members Wanda Ferragamo and Nancy Peterson Hearn
By Tracy Guarino, CEO and Founder of Guarino Advisors, LLC; C200
Member since 2014
C200 Member Wanda Ferragamo was the heart and mind behind the Salvatore Ferragamo company and succeeded in turning the company into one of the most famous Italian fashion brands.
Wanda was one of the first female entrepreneurs of Italy. When her husband, Salvatore Ferragamo, passed away in 1960, Wanda found herself in a position of running the company with no prior experience and during a decade when the work environment in Italy was dominated by men.
As a tribute to Wanda and her lifetime of accomplishments and success, the “Women in Balance” exhibit at the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo is currently on display in Florence, Italy.
The first room of the exhibit is dedicated to her office in Piazza Santa Trinita, the square outside of the Florence museum. You will see portraits of Salvatore and Wanda and their six children, along with Wanda’s iconic “W” bag.
The main installation is a prototype of Palazzo Spini Feroni, the palace that houses the museum, headquarters, and the Ferragamo flagship store. It also features shoe prototypes from 1961 to 1963 created by Fiamma Ferragamo, Wanda and Salvatore’s eldest daughter, who took her father’s place after his passing as shoe designer at the age of 17.
This exhibit is on display in Florence until September 10th, 2023. If you are unable to view the exhibit in person, there is an option to reserve a private virtual tour with the museum curator.
View more information about the museum and tour here: https://museo.ferragamo.com/en.
