Salvatore Ferragamo is proud to announce title sponsorship of the inaugural gala of the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. The official opening ceremony will take place in Beverly Hills, CA, on Thursday, October 17th, with a formal gala for 1000 guests chaired by Wallis Annenberg and Jamie Tisch. Honorary Chairman are Brad Pitt and Robert Redford.

A pioneer in many fields, Salvatore Ferragamo was quick to discover the limitless possibilities found in the merging of fashion and culture. Throughout his life and career, he ceaselessly sought and found inspiration in the work of the most eminent artists of his time. This fusion between fashion, culture and the arts has always been a distinctive trait of the company’s DNA and has never been abandoned throughout eight decades. 
In addition to the brand’s multiple patronage initiatives, the name of Salvatore Ferragamo has always been synonymous with the cinema, thanks to the patronage of innumerable stars of his creations, the brand’s participation in many films, and the sponsorship of various film festivals.

The extraordinary renovation of the historic Beverly Hills Post Office and the construction of the adjacent new Goldsmith Theatre, both donated to the city of Los Angeles by The Annenberg Foundation, form a center that is already set to become the most exciting new cultural destination of the city. Its opening festivities fall on the eve of the 100th anniversary of Salvatore Ferragamo’s arrival in the United States, where his legend as “shoemaker to the stars” began, creating the perfect opportunity for the Florentine house to partner in the center’s début and proudly adding its quintessential trademark of Italian excellence to this milestone event in the cultural life of the city of Los Angeles.

During the gala dinner, guests will enjoy a unique performance by Italian tenor Vittorio Grigolo, one of the most famous and respected opera singers of our time. Grigolo chose an all-Italian repertoire for the evening, to signify the deep roots in the Italian culture. In addition, Ferragamo Creative Director Massimiliano Giornetti will present the latest S/S Spring Summer 2014 runway collection, enriched by several new looks specifically created for this occasion. A further touch of the purest Italian taste will be served at dinner with the Tuscan wines from Il Borro and Castiglion del Bosco, vineyards owned by the members of the Ferragamo family.
Additionally, the opening festivities will unveil a Salvatore Ferragamo pop-up shop within the Center, featuring exclusive products created expressly for the anniversary. The product harkens back to some of Salvatore’s greatest designs including the iconic invisible wedge, hybrid silk sandals, and woven calfskin heels, re-imagined with a modern approach to design and evolved details - lucite heels, hand-woven lambskin, and exotic combinations of snake and suede or lizard and high-tech mesh.