In the very long list of deities of the Italian fashion pantheon, Salvatore Ferragamo [2] is surely on top.

Founded in Florence in 1928, the Maison was originally Salvatore’s shoe-making atelier. Born in 1898 in the surroundings of Naples, Salvatore made his first pair of shoes when he was nine years old, and spent several years in the United States before opening his studio in Florence.

Over the years the company evolved into a worldwide success, now counting over 550 stores, and Ferragamo’s sense of style contributed to reshaping the contemporary definitions of class and elegance, with original designs and continuous experimentation with materials and models.

Salvatore Ferragamo’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York was just reopened on April 6, after a complete renovation.

With an exhibition area extending to two levels, the store offers the complete range of the maison’s collections. Women’s wear is located on the ground floor, where shoes, accessories, handbags, silk goods and ready-to-wear creations are on display. The ground floor also  hosts a dedicated fine jewelry corner, a space specifically conceived to showcase the jewelry collection launched by Salvatore Ferragamo last fall, together with exotic leathers: the combined display of leather goods and jewels promises to glorify the preciousness of both kinds of products.

Men’s collections and accessories, including fragrances, silk and shoes, are hosted on the second floor, featuring an area for custom made formalwear.

The New York store is now Salvatore Ferragamo’s  largest mono-brand store in the world, with an area of approximately 20,000 square feet. The store’s interior, characterized by dark oak and walnut wooden flooring, Alcantara and cream shaded jute and stone, infuses a sense of chic elegance to the shopping experience. The Maison also had an eye for ecology: sustainable LED technology was used to light the store.

“The store on 5th Avenue is a very important showcase for our brand, both for the American market as well as international customers, because it is located in a strategic position within one of the most important cities in the world,” declared Michele Norsa, CEO of Salvatore Ferragamo. “The refit of the boutique is also part of a growth plan which, in addition to the opening of new mono-brand stores, calls for the renovation and expansion of retail space within existing stores to improve performance even further.”

The inaugural party for the renovated Fifth Avenue flagship store was held yesterday night. Many VIP guests joined the “Summer Holiday” themed night, which featured a DJ set by Solange Knowles.

The night was the occasion to present Salvatore Ferragamo’s colorful Spring/Summer Collection, defined by the fashion house’s Creative Director Massimiliano Giornetti as “The playful and glowing side of a woman that throws herself without reservation into the joys of Summer.” An exclusive preview of the Travel Luggage Collection, set to launch in the Summer, was also offered to the guests.

The event was also an occasion to support the Society of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center’s Pediatric Family Housing Endowment: for every picture taken at the party and shared by the guests through Sunday April 15, Ferragamo donated 20 dollars to MSKCC.