Women in Balance 1955/1965

This is the catalogue of the important exhibition dedicated to Wanda Miletti Ferragamo, which focuses on female empowerment in various domains from the 1960s onward.

This catalogue accompanies the exhibition Women in Balance at the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo in Florence. The project arose as a tribute to Wanda Miletti Ferragamo, who guided the Salvatore Ferragamo company from 1960 until her death in 2018.

The volume aims to tell the story of the women who balanced their roles as mothers and wives with their work during the years of the Italian “economic miracle” and beyond. The story of Wanda Ferragamo’s life is accompanied by the voices of women from diverse fields who embodied their time and helped to shape it.

Focus is placed on women who have been pioneers in their fields (politics, literature, photography, cinema, art, music, business, science, and technology). This catalogue seeks to trigger reflections on gender relations in contemporary society and the balance needed to reconcile women’s private lives with their passions and professional aspirations.

Stefania Ricci studied art history at the University of Florence. She has been the director of Museo Salvatore Ferragamo since 1995 and of Fondazione Ferragamo since March 2013. Elvira Valleri has a degree in humanities and a PhD from the European University. Her research focuses on contemporary history and autobiography and biography from a gender perspective.