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;
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