Fiamma Ferragamo designed the Vara shoe in 1978 to capture the spirit of modern women.
When Fiamma Ferragamo, Salvatore’s eldest daughter, designed the Vara shoe in 1978, it was for a new generation of emancipated, on-the-go women who demanded both comfort and sophistication.
Today, women shape their lives with passion and boldness, seeing what they wear as an extension of their personality. The Vara Bow has become a symbol of individuality, modernity, and effortless femininity, and a new generation is rediscovering the bow through intimate portraits of women who wear it not as an accessory, but as an extension of their own story.
The Vara Bow is a celebration of what makes every woman unique: each with her own stride, her own story, her own identity and femininity. It’s the timeless versatility of a code that, then as now, has always moved with the times.
This is the narrative at the heart of the new Vara Bow project, brought to life by a cast of special women who embody a heritage that has always captured the spirit of modernity, across diverse generations and lifestyles. Bianca Balti, Fiamma Paternò Castello di San Giuliano, Paloma Elsesser, and Hyeri Lee star in a series of intimate portraits, sharing their stories and their unique, spontaneous take on wearing the Vara bow—from the classic pump and the Mary Jane to the 55mm slingback and 95mm sandal.
The visuals, which also feature a cameo from Fiamma’s sister, Giovanna Gentile Ferragamo, celebrate not just the Vara design, but the attitude it represents. In every form, that bow has always stood for freedom, authenticity, and the joy of moving through the world with elegance and determination. It’s an icon that, like the women who choose it, constantly evolves and renews itself without ever losing its essence.
Four women, with different backgrounds and personalities, show how the Vara bow fits into their lives, their style and context, wherever they are, from Milan to New York to Seoul.
Bianca Balti, a classic Italian beauty who built an international career, radiates extraordinary strength and resilience, on the runway as in life, always with a smile.
Fiamma Paternò Castello di San Giuliano, a member of the fourth generation of Ferragamo and niece of Fiamma who invented the Vara, weaves a continuous dialogue between heritage and the future, between the prestige of her family’s history and the aesthetic of a young woman with a passion for art.
Paloma Elsesser, a runway icon and activist for inclusivity, embraces her individuality through a language of authenticity, revealing an inspired and conscious sense of style that she uses as a genuine form of expression and self-affirmation.
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Hyeri Lee, one of South Korea’s most prominent young actresses, who debuted as a member of the group Girl’s Day, exudes a vibrant and dynamic energy.
At the time of Vara’s creation, the designers began working with a last that had been tested and renowned for several seasons for its comfort, featuring a low heel and a rounded toe. A small oval decoration and an improvised bow, made from a scrap of grosgrain ribbon found in the atelier, were added to the prototype. The idea seemed good, and it was decided to give the shoe to the model-maker, asking him to craft the bow from the same leather as the upper. In reality, the message was misunderstood, and the bow remained in grosgrain.
By chance, in 1978, that ornamental detail remained in its prototype version, crowned with a metal plaque engraved with the logo. It soon became a signature element, appearing not just on shoes but on jewelry, bags, belts, and small leather goods.
To this day, every fold of that bow holds Ferragamo’s emotional resonance and artisanal excellence: the mastery, creativity, and talent that for generations have defined Ferragamo and the women who inspire its vision—perfectly poised between tradition and progress, dedication and connection, elegance and empowerment.
In the Philippines, Ferragamo is exclusively distributed by Stores Specialists, Inc., and is located at Greenbelt 4, Rustan’s Shangri-La, and Rustan’s Makati. You can also shop Salvatore Ferragamo online at Trunc.ph and Rustans.com. Visit ssilife.com.ph or follow @ssilifeph on Instagram for more information.
