Ladies and gentlemen, the least important part of this book is the life story of an Italian shoemaker. We can all write our autobiography, and if I dwell on the details of my career it is only because it makes it easier to explain my calling: the work that became my life s fundamental vocation. Life has taught me that Nature gives us perfect feet. If they get damaged, it is because our shoes are defective. However, it is not necessary to undergo such torture, not even in the name of vanity. We can all walk happily wearing comfortable, refined, splendid shoes. This is my whole life s work: learning to make perfect shoes, refusing to put my name on those that aren t. Salvatore Ferragamo This is a new, completely updated edition of the autobiography of a man who made Italian fashion great throughout the world. Among the many vicissitudes of his adventurous life, the book features a magnificent series of encounters with and anecdotes about the most extraordinary Hollywood stars, such as Rudolph Valentino, Mary and Lottie Pickford, Pola Negri, Joan Crawford, and Greta Garbo. His loyal customers also included Marilyn Monroe, Douglas Fairbanks, Sophia Loren, Anna Magnani, Audrey Hepburn, and Paulette Goddard.
Renowned Italian architect and interior designer Michele Bonan likens each of his ventures to a film script, composed of dynamic narrative, wit, and irony. An aspiring architect from the age of five, Bonan attended Florence's Accademia di Belle Arti, which he credits with compelling his freedom of expression. Bonan's first great success came at twenty, when a magazine published his work for the home of famous tennis player friend Adriano Panatta and other high-profile clients immediately took notice. Whether for private clients or public buildings, Bonan's designs-ranging among hotels, restaurants, estates, and even yachts-each possess a distinctive virtuosic excellence. His aesthetic incorporates modern elements and luxuries; but historical architecture, particularly that of his native Florence, always informs his style choices. "Truth before all things" is the inspiration behind all Michele Bonan's work, a mantra he manifests by carefully arranging the desires of his clients into their ideal environment, "translated with pure Italian flair." Notable projects highlighted in this beautifully illustrated edition include the J. K. Place Hotels in Capri, Rome, and Florence; the Hôtel Marquis Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris; Palazzo Tornabuoni in Florence; Jagdgut Wachtelhof Hotel in Austria; and many more.
Un hommage à la créativité du petit bottier italien qui fit fortune aux Etats-Unis à partir des années 1930 en chaussant le tout Hollywood. Ce livre très soigné présente une quinzaine de modèles emblématiques du créateur accompagnés des sources d'inspiration dont il se nourrissait.
