Who married Salvatore Ferragamo?

Salvatore Ferragamo (Italian: [salvaˈtoːre ferraˈɡaːmo]; 5 June 1898 – 7 August 1960) was an Italian shoe designer. Widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in 20th-century footwear design, he was known for combining artisanal craftsmanship with technical innovation. Ferragamo pioneered new construction methods that emphasized comfort, balance, and structural support while maintaining elegance. His shoes were worn by leading figures of Hollywood, earning him the nickname "Shoemaker to the Stars."

After early success in the United States, Ferragamo returned to Italy in 1927, where he established a workshop in Florence that became the foundation of his international business, Salvatore Ferragamo S.p.A. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, he developed influential designs—including the cork wedge heel and reinforced shank—often in response to material shortages, which helped redefine women's footwear. Following his death in 1960, the company was continued by his family and evolved into the luxury fashion house Ferragamo. His legacy is preserved through the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum in Florence. His life and work were the subject of the 2020 documentary film Salvatore: Shoemaker of Dreams.

Wanda Ferragamo (née Miletti; 18 December 1921 – 19 October 2018) was an Italian fashion designer and businesswoman. She was the head designer of Ferragamo.

She was born in Bonito, Avellino, the daughter of Fulvio Miletti, the podestà and municipal doctor of the town, physician of the Ferragamo family and their client. During the summer of 1940, at the age of 18 years old, she met and then married Salvatore Ferragamo, in the church of Santa Lucia in Naples. From their marriage, six children were born: Fiamma, Ferruccio, Giovanna, Fulvia, Leonardo and Massimo.

After the wedding, they moved to a villa near Fiesole, Florence. Following the death of her husband in 1960, Wanda took over the family-owned manufacturer, thus becoming the CEO for more than 20 years. She grew up in a wealthy family, so she was attending school as her mother did, but she had no specific professional training: as a result, she learned how to manage a company by watching and listening to her husband. Since then, the company turned from a footwear company to a ready-to-wear and fashion wear with expanded product lines, thanks also to the help of her children.

She died in Florence on October 18, 2018 at the age of 96.