A century after Salvatore Ferragamo’s famous Hollywood storefront opened, the designer’s namesake brand cut the ribbon on a retrospective detailing his life’s work. Housed inside the Museo Ferragamo at the House’s headquarters in Florence, the Salvatore Ferragamo 1898-1960 exhibition looks to celebrate the visionary’s “pioneering spirit, his iconic creations and connections, and his extraordinary vision for invention and innovation” through nine rooms.

The exhibition includes a bunch of archival designs, as well as an inside look at Ferragamo’s own research, which ultimately led to many innovative moments in his career.

Part I explores the founder’s personal history, beginning with his birth in Bonito in 1898 and ending with his untimely death in 1960.Section II, titled ‘Hollywood Boot Shop’, hosts photos, videos and physical footwear from the designer’s time in Hollywood, from 1923 to 1927. And Section III highlights his materials and inspirations, with a plethora of leathers, objects and artwork that served as the starting point for some of the designer’s most iconic designs.

Later, Section IV focuses on Ferragamo’s scientific studies of the structure of the foot, which greatly informed his shoe constructions. Through his research, he was able to develop new solutions for footwear support based on body weight and distribution, and the room includes the anatomical designs that lead to his industry-leading conclusions. Section V, meanwhile, is much smaller, with just eight shoes – here, the exhibition highlights the designer’s architectural study of the shoe itself.

“Patents,” or Section VI, is filled with all of the designer’s inventions — and the patents he obtained for them. Section VII then highlights the expert craftsmanship of the artisans, praising the “Made in Italy” brand identity.

As the flashback concludes, Section VIII demands attention with its kaleidoscopic interior. Named “Creativity in Color,” the room acknowledges the vastness of Ferragamo’s archive through vibrant stripes of yellow, black, emerald, blue, gold, silver and the designer’s favorite color, red. Finally, Section IX concludes with some of the visionary’s most photographed designs for famous movie stars, aristocrats and international jet-set personalities.

Salvatore Ferragamo 1898-1960 is now open at the Museo Ferragamo, located in Piazza di Santa Trinita in Florence. The gallery is expected to remain open until November this year.

Photos Courtesy of Ferragamo