Fountain of Neptune in Florence
Italian footwear label Salvatore Ferragamo is giving back to its hometown of Florence with a project that will restore the Fountain of Neptune to its original splendor.
The Fountain of Neptune, located right outside the Palazzo Vecchio in the Piazza della Signoria, is near Ferragamo’s headquarters, giving the brand additional reason to protect the culture of Florence. In Italy, fashion houses such as Tod’s, Bulgari and others have stepped up to help restore their country's landmarks, as the government has fallen on tough economic times leaving it unable to finance such large-scale restorations.
Neighborly love
To fund the restoration project, Ferragamo has donated 1.5 million euros, or $1.6 million at current exchange rates, to be used over the course of a three-year period. The donation was possible due to the recently activated Art Bonus, a tool created by the Italian government to encourage corporate funding of art and culture restoration projects.
The Fountain of Neptune was commissioned in 1565 by Cosimo I de’Medici and sculpted by Bartolomeo Ammannati. The fountain, which reflected Florence’s sea prowess during the Renaissance, was the city’s first public fountain and is one of its most recognizable landmarks.
“I like to think our support to Florence’s cultural activities and the restoration of architectural assets as a virtuous partnership between the public and the private sectors and as a way for our family to thank the city and recognize the close bond forged by my father and still in place today,” said Ferruccio Ferragamo, chairman of Salvatore Ferragamo, in a statement.
Fountain of Neptune in Florence, video by Salvatore Ferragamo
Ferragamo’s homage to its hometown has also extended to the brand’s marketing campaigns.
The brand honored its Florentine roots as the city celebrated 150-years as the figurative “capital” of Italy.
When the Italian city-states were unified in 1865, Florence was selected as the capital of the Kingdom of Italy and Palazzo Spini Feroni was named city hall. From May 8 until April 3, 2016, Ferragamo’s in-house museum, Museo Ferragamo, honored the Palazzo Spini Feroni, the home of its headquarters and flagship boutique (see story).