High & Mighty

By Caroline Tell

HE STARTED AS a shoemaker's apprentice at age 11, and by 13, Salvatore Ferragamo had his own shop, selling shoes to the locals in Bonito, Italy. The 11th of 14 children, Ferragamo had always dreamed of creating the perfect shoe. He traveled to Boston, where he joined his brother working at a footwear company, before hitting Hollywood in the 1920s and opening the Hollywood Boot Shop. There his cowboy boots and Roman sandals were often used on movie sets, and soon celebrities came calling for custom orders. But it wasn't until 1936, when the use of leather and steel was restricted in Italy, that genius really struck. Desperate to replace the rationed materials, Ferragamo came up with the idea of filling the heels of his shoes with cork and wood, creating the wedge. The platform sandal soon followed, becoming a favorite among leading ladies, including Lauren Bacall, Carmen Miranda and Audrey Hepburn, many of whom longed for a stylish lift. (Marilyn Monroe special-ordered her platforms at over 4 in.) Today the platform and the wedge are best sellers for labels as diverse as Prada and Escada. And the Ferragamo brand, still walking tall, continues to reintroduce the styles 70 years after their debut.