The House of Gucci | A Florentine Drama

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In 1897 a young Guccio Gucci left his home city of Florence for London to work as a bellhop at London’s prestigious Savoy Hotel. He was tasked with various duties, primarily assisting with the loading and unloading of the luggage of all the wealthy clients that passed through the establishment’s doors. Whilst going about his work, he would often chat with the guests, learning about their tastes in the latest fashions, their preferences for certain fabrics and what their travelling conditions were like. After various stints working at the Compagnie Internationale des Wagons-Lits and fine luggage maker Franzi, he opened his first shop in 1921 on Via della Vigna Nuova in Florence. Ready to take the world by storm, Guccio Gucci could have never foreseen what his garden would grow into.

^{A Gucci red knitted wool jumper (£200-300) and a pair of Gucci 'Blondie' pumps (£100-150)}

Mussolini’s invasion of Ethiopia in 1935 meant that the League of Nations imposed a trade embargo on Italy. Leather became very scarce and in turn this forced Guccio to incorporate other materials into the production process such as raffia, wicker, wood, linen and jute. By 1925 Guccio’s son Aldo began working for the company and over the years became increasingly involved in the running of the business and by 1938, he had convinced his father to open a store in Rome’s prestigious Via Condotti. The opening of this store saw the launch of an accessories line which included gloves, belts and wallets. Due to the material shortages in World War II, the brand started using canvas more and more for their bags and luggage; it was decorated with the iconic double-G symbol and adorned with red and green banding.

^{A Gucci Snakehead bag (£1,000-1,500), a Gucci twill silk maxi dress (£150-250), a pair of Gucci platform 'Marmont' heels (£150-250) and a Gucci cream wool coat (£300-500)}

After the war, Gucci saw a turning point in their history. The company was divided up into three and the shares were distributed between Guccio’s three sons, Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo. In 1947 an icon was forged: the Bamboo Bag was released and used lightweight bamboo for the handles which was a direct response to the continued post-war rationing of materials. Another classic of the Gucci brand was released in 1952, a year before Guccio’s death, the Gucci moccasins featured a brass snaffle bit which was a nod to the equestrian lifestyles of their high-end clients. By 1961, they had branched out into the US and the famed ‘Jackie Bag’ was launched, named after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. The mid-1960s saw Gucci going from strength to strength, the ‘Flora’ scarf was designed in 1966 by Vittorio Accornero de Testa as a gift for Grace Kelly, as well as a ready-to-wear line.

^{A Gucci jumbo 'GG' monogram canvas coat (£600-800)}

The Italian fashion powerhouse seemed to be on a never-ending winning streak, however, as we know, all good things must come to an end. During the 1980s, Gucci hit a period of financial turmoil, through a series of bad business decisions and family feuds the end seemed nigh. In 1983, Rodolfo Gucci died and his son Maurizio Gucci inherited his father’s majority stake in the brand which sparked a legal war against his uncle Aldo for full control further plunging the company into debt. Despite these family disputes, Gucci had generated sales in excess of $400 million between 1981 and 1987 alone. The main issue lay with the company mass producing too many of their products which affected their image as a luxury brand. By 1991, Gucci still hadn’t managed to recoup financially, and Maurizio was criticised for spending copious amount of money on the company’s headquarters in Florence and Milan. A tragic moment for the Gucci family and brand came in 1995 when Maurizio’s ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani hired a hitman to assassinate him in the lobby of Gucci’s Milan office. This episode was covered in a 2021 film directed by Ridley Scott entitled ‘House of Gucci’ where Maurizio was played by Adam Driver and Patrizia by Lady Gaga.

^{A pair of Gucci black suede 'Marmont' heels (£100-150), a pair of Gucci 'Blondie' pumps (£100-150), a pair of Gucci silver ballerina heels (£100-150), a pair of Gucci patent leather platform heels (£200-300), a pair of Gucci 'GG Supreme' sneakers (£100-150) and a pair of Gucci sliders (£80-120)}

A renaissance for Gucci came with the appointment of Tom Ford as creative director in 1994. Ford trawled through the archives of the brand and revived many of the design elements found in the 1970s. His inaugural ready-to-wear collection in 1995 featured several sensual dresses with cut-out detailing which were incredibly popular. Ford pushed the envelope of what was considered publicly acceptable with his designs, unveiling items such as a limited-edition pair of silver handcuffs and the iconic Gucci branded G-string. Domenico De Sole, who was Gucci’s legal adviser since the 1980s gradually increased the marketing budget from $6 million to $70 million between 1993 and 1997. Tom Ford saw this as an opportunity to really challenge the status quo and produced increasingly erotic and provocative marketing campaigns which reflected the mood and market of fashion in the 1990s.

^{A Gucci red knitted wool jumper (£200-300), two pairs of Gucci sweatpants (one pair pictured) (£100-150) and a pair of Gucci black suede 'Marmont' heels (£100-150)}

By the mid-2010s, Gucci were yet again facing financial struggles. Marco Bizzarri was named CEO of Gucci in 2014 and by 2015 he had appointed Alessandro Michele as creative director who had been working for Gucci since 2002. Michele had a deep understanding of the brand and a rich and eclectic pool of influences to draw on. He presented his first collection for the house in 2015, and it was praised for its "sophisticated, intellectual and androgynous feel".¹ He revived Gucci classics, such as the double-G logo, the ‘Jackie’ bag and the ‘Bamboo’ bag. Michele also created interesting and new items such as the Dionysus handbag which possessed a Tom Ford influence. There was also a feminisation of the menswear line, a staunch feminist stance and a ‘geek-chic’ approach, almost eradicating gender roles entirely in his collections. His model and aesthetic for Gucci has become the blueprint for the brand today and is immortalised as one of Gucci’s most iconic periods.

The story of the Gucci brand and family is a chequered one with many ups and downs. However, through the decades Gucci has remained one of the shining beacons of Italian luxury and heritage, and continues to do so. Sworders is pleased to announce a significant collection of Gucci items in our upcoming 29 April Jewellery and Luxury sale.

_{¹ Matthew Schneier. After Frida Giannini’s Departure, a Brand-New Men’s Collection at Gucci. The New York Times. 20 January 2015.}

Jewellery and Luxury

Wednesday 29 April | 10am

zacharywoodhouse@sworder.co.uk

01279 817778

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