“Shoemaker to the stars”—Italian Salvatore Ferragamo, the 11th child of
14, claims a namesake museum of shoes in Florence. His shoemaking style
began in the 1920s when his Roman sandal designs debuted in Cecil De
Mille movies.
Soon he was designing for famous names like Sofia Loren,
Audrey Hepburn, Ingrid Bergman, and Bette Davis. Ferragamo believed
“new fashion begins in the mind of the designer.” He is famous for his
high-stepping platforms and cork heels, which he sewed using wine bottle
corks, and is credited with the design of stiletto heels.
Salvatore
died in 1960 at age 62. In 1998, the Ferragamo family introduced a
fragrance for men—Salvatore Ferragamo—followed by the F and Incanto
lines, and more. Ferragamo operates the Emanuel Ungaro businesses.
The “hippy chic” Hilfiger fashion empire, fragrances and all, is a
growing multi-million dollar industry. Hilfiger’s first New York store,
The People’s Place—a flower child’s fashion heaven—was as much a teen
hang-out as a fashion hotspot. His signature 1884 collection featured
Beyoncé Knowles to launch True Star Gold and True Star, and with Enrique
Iglesias to represent True Star Men.
Tommy Girl and Freedom are
über-popular Hilfiger fragrances for women. Hilfiger’s marketing genius
and cultish-hype earned him biz-buzz as the “new Ralph Lauren” among
fashion gurus. His simple tri-color logo makes a bold international
statement. Hilfiger—the designer businessman—promises products of “good,
clean fun; classics with a twist” and his fragrances meet this mark.
