The history and royal connection of the Fashion House of Gucci
In a world full of fashion, the House of Gucci made the difference.
Who were they? And what is/was their connection with the royals?
History
Gucci was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci in Florence, Tuscany on
7, Via della Vigna Nuova in Florence, Azienda Individuale Guccio Gucci
where he sold imported leather luggage.
He also opened a small workshop to have his own leather goods made
by local craftsmen. Eventually, a larger workshop had to be acquired to
house Gucci's 60 artisans.
In 1935 the invasion of Ethiopia by Mussolini led the League of Nations
to impose a trade embargo on Italy. Leather became scarce, pushing
Guccio Gucci to introduce other fabrics in the composition of the products,
such as raffia, wicker, wood, linen and, jute. The rombi motif, a Gucci
signature, was created. The Gucci's developed a new tanning technique
to produce "cuoio grasso", which became a Gucci trademark.
In 1937, Gucci launched its handbags.
Guccio's wife and children all worked in the shop. Aldo, the son of
Guccio, became increasingly involved in the family company since
he started working there in 1925.
He convinced his father to grow by opening a new shop in Rome
(21 Via Condotti) in 1938, and launched more Gucci accessories
(gloves, belts, wallets, keychains).
World War II
During WWII, the artisans of Gucci worked on making boots for
the Italian infantry.
Post War
After the war, Guccio Gucci distributed the shares of the
company to his three sons (Aldo, Vasco, Rodolfo). In 1947, Gucci
launched the Bamboo bag.
The brand launched its first global tagline, Quality is
remembered long after price is forgotten. The iconic moccasins (Gucci loafer)
were launched in 1952.
Guccio Gucci died on 2 January 1953 in Milan. In November 1953,
Gucci opened its first US store on 5th Avenue and 58th Street in New York.
A second NY shop opened in the Saint Regis Hotel in 1960, and a
third on 5th Avenue and 54th Street in 1973, leading the locals to call
this NY area "Gucci City".
In 1961, Gucci opened a store in London and Palm Beach, and
launched the Jackie Bag. In March 1963, Gucci opened its first
French store near Place Vendôme in Paris.
The double-G logo for belt buckles and other accessory decorations
was introduced in 1964. The Flora scarf was designed in 1966 by
Rodolfo Gucci and Vittorio Accornero for Grace Kelly Princess of Monaco
who became a notorious consumer of Gucci products.
In October 1968, Gucci opened a store on 347 Rodeo Drive, driving
many Hollywood stars to endorse the brand. With the Rodeo Drive opening
came the launch of Gucci's first dresses. Gucci's breakthrough in the US led
to its global development in Asia (Tokyo opening in 1972, Hong Kong in 1974)
and the Middle East.
In Brussels, Aldo's son Roberto piloted the first Gucci franchised
store. By 1969, Gucci managed 10 shops in the US. 84,000 Gucci
moccasins were sold in the US alone that year.
The US President John F. Kennedy called Aldo Gucci the
"first Italian ambassador to the United States".
In 1969, Giorgio, the son of Aldo, had sparked the first family
feud by launching Gucci Boutique on his own, which was finally
reabsorbed by the family group in 1972.
Gucci launched a Rolls-Royce luggage set in 1970 and partnered with
American Motors Corporation (AMC) to create the Gucci version of
the AMC Hornet (1971, 1972, 1973).
Gucci became one of the first American cars to offer a special luxury
trim package created by a famous fashion designer.
Gucci launched Gucci Perfumes (Il Mio Profumo) and its first watch
(Model 2000) in 1972, its first franchised store in the US in 1973, and
opened the Gucci Galleria in its Beverly Hills store in 1977, a private
art gallery adjoined to the store and reserved to premium clients who
were given a golden key to access it.
From 1978 to 1984 a Miami-based coachbuilder marketed a Gucci
edition of the Cadillac Seville sedan (the 1978 model is exhibited
at the Gucci Museum).
1980's
During the 1980s, the Gucci saga eroded the family-held top management
of the company and fed the press headlines. Paolo Gucci, son of Aldo,
tried to launch the brand Gucci Plus on his own.
Aldo was criticized for developing most of the international business
under Gucci America which he owned. In 1982, to ease tensions
in the family, the Gucci group was consolidated and became a
publicly-traded company, Guccio Gucci SpA.
In May 1983, Rodolfo died. His son Maurizio Gucci inherited
his father's majority stake in the company and launched a legal war
against his uncle Aldo for full control of Gucci (a prosecution led by
the city prosecutor Rudolph Giuliani, and with Domenico de Sole
representing the Gucci family).
Maurizio Gucci took over the company's direction. In 1986, Aldo Gucci,
81, with only 16.7% of Gucci left in his possession, was sentenced to a
year in prison for tax evasionate.
Despite the family disputes, between 1981 and 1987, the sales of
trademarked Gucci products reached $400 million, and $227 million
in 1990 alone.
The 1980s were characterized by a mass-production of Gucci products,
which generated revenue but negatively affected Gucci's position as an
exclusive luxury brand. Maurizio Gucci hired Dawn Mello to put
Gucci back on tracks.
1990's
From 1991 to 1993, Gucci's finances were still in the red, Maurizio Gucci
was blamed for spending extravagant amounts of money on the
company's headquarters in Florence (Via delle Caldaie palazzo)
and in Milan.
Investcorp bought the remaining 50% of Guccio Gucci S.p.A.
from Maurizio Gucci in 1993, ending the family involvement in the group.
In March 1995, Maurizio Gucci was shot dead in the lobby of Gucci's
Milan office. His ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani served 16 years in jail for
hiring the hitman of the murder.
By January 1999, the French luxury conglomerate LVMH, which had been
buying shares of Gucci discreetly since 1995, reached 34% ownership
in Gucci Group NV. Seeking a way out of LVMH's control, Tom Ford
and Domenico De Sole turned to the French financier François Pinault
and his group Pinault Printemps Redoute, which later became Kering,
for an emergency exit.
In March, Pinault's group bought out 40% of Gucci at $75 a share,
and LVMH's shares decreased to 20.7% in a dilution process. Through the deal,
PPR also purchased Yves Saint Laurent from Sanofi and sold it back for the
same price to the Gucci Group This coup d'éclat in the fashion world launched
a cold war between LVMH and the new Gucci-PPR coalition.
2000's
A tension occurred in December 2000 when Gucci bought 51% of
Alexander McQueen's couture house, as McQueen was also the
creative designer of LVMH's Givenchy at that time.
The feud around Gucci ended in September 2001 when all parties
reached an agreement. By the end of 2003, Tom Ford and
Domenico De Sole made it official that they would not renew their
contract with Gucci-PPR that ended in April 2004.
In 2019, Gucci operated 487 stores for 17,157 employees, and generated
€9.628 billion in sales (€8.2 billion in 2018).
Marco Bizzarri is CEO of Gucci since December 2014, and Alessandro
Michele creative director since January 2015. Gucci is a subsidiary of the
French luxury group Kering.
Royals wearing Gucci
Belgium
Jordan
Monaco
Princess Caroline of Monaco;
Charlotte Casiraghi;
The Netherlands
United Kingdom
Princess Beatrice;
Duchess of Sussex;
The Countess of Wessex;
Other famous clients
Michelle Obama;
Melania Trump;
Kate Moss;
Brad Pitt;
Elizabeth Taylor;
Jackie Kennedy;
Conclusion
Besides the scandals the family and the fashion were still standing.
Luxury always survives.
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