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Library Journal Review

Throughout his rags-to-riches career, Ferragamo was patronized by movie stars, socialites, diplomats, and royalty. Known in 1920s Hollywood as ``shoemaker to the stars,'' he eventually returned to Italy to create shoes that were both comfortable and highly innovative. This gorgeous catalog, which accompanies a Los Angeles County Museum of Art exhibition, features over 200 examples of his work in full-color photographs so crisp that every stitch and crease is visible. Here are shoes as objets d'art. The wedge heels and platform soles popular in the 1940s were attributed to Ferragamo, whose response to wartime leather shortages was the imaginative use of fish skins, raffia, cork, and even mirrored glass. Curators Ricci and Meader recount Ferragamo's colorful life and achievements, making this book a valuable resource beyond its illustrations. Because the artist's autobiography, Shoemaker of Dreams (1957; Crown, 1972. reprint.), is out of print, this high-quality work is an especially worthwhile purchase for design and fashion history collections.-- Therese D. Baker, Western Kentucky Univ . Lib . , Bowling Green (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.