The Salvatore Ferragamo fashion brand tells the personal story of its founder in a 26-page graphic novel, Making of a Dream, illustrated and written by animator and cartoonist Frank Espinosa. The comic book stylistically aligns with the exhibition, The Amazing Shoemaker, which is now open at the Museo Salvatore Ferragamo.

As a son of a cobbler, Frank Espinosa has got an insider understanding of what the shoemaking art is. Coupling this knowledge with the rich experience he got while working for Warner Brosers and The Walt Disney Company, he developed impressive action-filled somewhat abstract imagery rendering the atmosphere of the times when Mr. Ferragamo was starting his career.

Creating the drawings, Mr. Espinosa used a variety of tools including acrylic, gouache, pencil and India ink with the rice-paper inserts. The illustrations are now displayed at the Ferragamo’s New York flagship boutique, where shoppers can buy a new comic book for $9. The exhibition itself is open in Florence, Italy, and running through March 31, 2014. Along with the book, the brand has a created special-edition shoes and accessories collection, and launched a shortfailry-tale film, White Shoe, by Mauro Borelli and a microsite.

While telling the brand’s story, the book pursues a philanthropic goal—proceeds from the sale of «Making of a Dream» will be donated to the Un Cuore, Un Mondo non-profit that helps children suffering from heart diseases.

Creating graphic novels to tell brand’s stories was also tapped by Honest Tea and Fanta recently.