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FOCUS
From the U.S. to Latin America:
A Love Affair with Italian Fashion
BY DIEGO STECCHI, DIRECTOR OF FERRAGAMO LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN, AND CLAUDIA
MONTRESOR, DEVELOPMENT MANAGER FERRAGAMO LATIN AMERICA AND CARIBBEAN
(WWW.SALVATOREFERRAGAMO.IT)
Italian luxury products have been present in the American
market since the beginning of the 20th century when they
represented one of the pillars of Italian industry in the
country. Salvatore Ferragamo was one of the pioneers in the
American market. Already in 1920 he earned a reputation
among the American press as the preferred designer of
the divas of the nascent Hollywood fi lm industry. Some 28
years later, in 1948, he opened his fi rst store in New York.
It wasn’t until the 1950s and 1960s, however, that we
really start to see a signifi cant infl uence of Italian lifestyle on
American society. In those years Italian fashion, automobiles,
movies, and songs began to fi lter into the American collective
consciousness, creating icons and trends inspired by the lifestyle
of the Bel Paese. A great deal of credit is due to high-profi le
individuals, celebrities, and actors from the entertainment
world who appreciated and ultimately diffused knowledge
of Italy’s high quality -- and at times, unconventional --
design among the general public. Audrey Hepburn and
Marilyn Monroe with their custom-made Ferragamo shoes,
Jacqueline Kennedy and her favorite stylist Oleg Cassini,
and Italian actresses like Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren
certainly left a big impact on the American imagination.
As the years passed America’s passion for everything
“Made in Italy” grew. Today Italian luxury products
encompass not only fashion and design, but also yachts,
marble, furniture, ceramic, and enogastronomic products.
Medium and large-sized Italian companies have built their
success on the creativity, impeccable quality, and strong
brand image which characterizes Italian production.
From one small store in New York in 1948 to more than 40
mono-brand stores and countless points of sale in the best
department stores of North and Latin America, Salvatore
Ferragamo has consolidated a presence all across the
continent. The U.S. market continues to be of the most
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