Salvatore Ferragamo was born in Bonito, near Naples. The 11th of 14 children, he began working as a child at the cobbler next door. It was the period of mass migrations for Italians, and in 1915, at barely 16 years old, he boarded a ship in Stampalia with a third-class ticket. He went to join his brothers, who had previously emigrated to California, and in just 10 years he became one of the most sought-after shoemakers amongst Hollywood’s directors and stars. The myth of the great Italian artisan won over rich American heiresses, who with their endless requests brought Salvatore back to Italy. He chose Florence, the homeland of artists and artisans, as the place to craft his creations. It is with this historic and cultural background that the Salvatore Ferragamo Museum documents and narrates the phenomenon of Italian migration and the influence wielded by the legend and Italian culture in California. The exhibition also makes use of original materials to trace the life of figures who, with their personal allure, led to the concept of modern stardom, from Rodolfo Valentino to Caruso to Lina Cavaieri, the muse of Italian femininity in the world. The exhibition, curated by Stefania Ricci, outlines the personal history of a visionary, talented and tireless Italian, known as the shoemaker of dreams.