GUCCI
Do you Know How Gucci come to the world?
Guccio Gucci founded the House of Gucci in Florence in 1921. Though it made it’s debut as a small leather goods store and saddlery (whose influence we still see today, from the trademark green and red striped webbing, reminiscent of a saddle’s girth, to the metal bit found on the suede moccasin and various handbag styles), Gucci grew throughout the years to become one of the most exalted and sought after labels associated with affluence and luxury Handbags.
After Guccio’s death in 1953 and his children – Vasco, Aldo, Ugo, and Rodolfo – took over, Gucci began to expand overseas, opening boutiques in Europe, the US and in the Far East. The famous GG logo (honoring Guccio Gucci with his initials) was also established, and the label began to gain more prominence through exposure of Hollywood starlets and celebrities like Jackie Kennedy.
However, familial disputes and poor business decisions left Gucci in a mere shadow of its former glory by the 1980s, and its future was resting on the shoulders of Rodolpho’s son Maurizio Gucci. Yet with the steady decline despite Maurizio’s efforts, by 1993 the entire company was sold to Investcorp, a company out of Bahrain.
Under Investcorp, the company was renamed “Gucci Group” and a new Creative Director was brought in, the young and dynamic Tom Ford, who created a new line that captivated the critics and brought Gucci back to the forefront of the fashion world. The celebrities returned, and Gucci was once again grazing the red carpet with a vengeance. Tom Ford is responsible for the recreation of the Gucci label and led it back to its glamorous past, and in 2003 when his departure was announced, there was a complete presale of most items in New York department stores and a waitlist began for his accessories just days after his collection showed in Milan.
Today, following Ford’s legacy as Creative Director at Gucci is Frida Giannini, who worked under his creative direction. In 2002 she joined Gucci as Handbag Design Director and in 2004 was appointed to the newly created role of Creative Director of Accessories. In 2005 she was named Creative Director of Women’s Wear, and in 2006 she was also appointed Creative Director of Men’s Wear, making her the sole Creative Director of the Gucci label. Her talent and vision for the label have maintained the revival that Ford established, keeping the Gucci name associated with luxury, class, and sophistication, and it remains one of the top labels in high fashion today.