Gucci - 90: Chronology of the Italian Brand

Chronology of Gucci

1900s:

In 1906, the son of an artisan, Guccio Gucci, opened in The Florence, his native, a small saddlery workshop The House of Gucci, which soon closed. Guccio leaves to work as a doorman in London and Paris. It is believed that the observation of the luggage of hotel guests like Savoy inspired Gucci to create their own brand.

1920s:

1921 is considered the founding year of Gucci: Guccio Gucci, who earned 30,000 lire by that time, creates his own brand of luggage and leather goods and opens the first store in Florence.

1930s:

Gucci produce travel bags, gloves, belts and shoes, the creation of which the designer inspires clothing riders, as well as create costumes for jockeys. In 1937, the brand began to produce bags for women. A year later, the first store opens outside of Florence - in Rome.

1940s:

During the war, suppliers often refuse to import leather into Italy, so Gucci decided to experiment with materials using jute, flax and even hemp.

1950s:

In 1953, after the death of Guccio Gucci, his sons: Aldo, Vasco, Hugo and Rodolfo are engaged in business.

1960s:

Jackie Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn are spotted with Gucci bags. The brand begins to produce scarves, one of which - silk with the famous Flora print - was created for the Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly. Logo is born brand of crossed letters G.

1970s:

Creation of the first collection of ready-to-wear Gucci.

1980s:

In 1981, the first Gucci podium show takes place in Florence. A year later, the brand is transferred to Guccio Gucci's grandson - Maurizio Gucci. The company becomes an open joint stock company, Investcorp invests in it.

1990s:

In 1994, Tom Ford became the creative director of Gucci. After five years, the brand is trying to absorb the LVMH conglomerate, but PPR, which has established a subsidiary of the Gucci Group, is hindering it.

2000s:

In 2006, Frida Giannini, who had previously worked on Gucci accessories, became the head of the brand.

Gucci Creative Directors

1921 - 1953: Guccio Gucci, son of an Italian artisan and founder of Gucci.

1953 - 1982: Aldo, Vasco, Hugo and Rodolfo Gucci, businessmen, sons of Guccio Gucci.

1983 - 1989: Maurizio Gucci, entrepreneur, son of Rodolfo Gucci.

1989 - 1994: Down mello, former president of Bergdorf Goodman and founder of The Atelier Fund.

1994 - 2004: Tom ford, designer of own brand Tom Ford, creative director Yves Saint Laurent from 1999 to 2004, photographer and director.

With the advent of Tom Ford begins a new era of fashion house. Despite the fact that the Gucci collections have been shown on the catwalk since 1981, it was thanks to Tom Ford that the world learned what the Gucci style is. Gucci forms its own DNA - the association with equestrian sports is gradually disappearing. Tom Ford’s gucci times are bold outfits, all kinds of cuts (which Frida Giannini is still actively using), translucent materials and fabrics with a glossy shine.

"It seems that sexual attractiveness and sensuality have become a Gucci trademark forever," wrote Armand Limnander in 2000 for Style.com.

2004 - 2005: Alessandra Facchinetti, designer, after Gucci worked at Valentino.

Alessandra Facchinetti stayed on as Gucci creative director for exactly a year: she made her debut in the spring-summer 2005 season and left after the autumn-winter 2005 season. The designer did not leave the formula derived by Tom Ford: her collections featured the same fitted, deep cleavage, bold cuts, transparent and shiny fabrics, fur, lace, fringe and crystals. Critics have accused Fackinnetti of affection for the nineties, the era of Ford, and a too literal understanding of the Gucci heritage. Perhaps this is why Alessandra left the brand. Interestingly, she later headed Valentino's house, but was dismissed from there due to the neglect of the brand's style.

Since 2006: Frida Giannini, she worked at Fendi, in 2004 she headed the accessories department at Gucci, and two years later she was appointed creative director of the brand.

The first collection of Frida Giannini for Gucci received positive reviews: for ten years in a row, the brand was associated exclusively with monochrome bows, but the thirty-two-year-old Italian, who used to deal only with bags and shoes, dared to show floral prints inspired by the famous Flora pattern and stripes of bright colors, reminiscent of stripes Web. Body-shaping silhouettes, necklines and necklines have been preserved, but mini, lace and sparkles that border on vulgarity have disappeared. The debut collection set the tone for all subsequent work of the designer. Frida studied the archives of Gucci, releasing one after another collection with the symbolic symbolism of the brand. According to critics, clothing Giannini retained the bohemian and a little rock and roll spirit of the times of Tom Ford, but has become more feminine.

“Heritage plays an important role in my life, I return to the archives, but I look to the future,” says Frida Giannini.

Gucci lines

Women's and men's clothing
Shoes for men, women and children
Children's clothing, launched in June 2010
Aromas from the 1970s, including Flora, Envy and Guilty
Established in 2003, the line of goods for the home - furniture and interior items - the work of designer Martin Albaza
Jewelery: mostly gold and silver jewelry and jewelery
Pet accessories: collars and bags
Bags, which brand has more than 15 models

Gucci Symbols

Diamante Fabric It was invented in one of the first pre-war waves of skin shortages, in the mid-1930s. Initially, the material, the diamond pattern on which was woven from hemp, was used exclusively for the production of luggage. In 2010, Frida Giannini released a collection of bags, shoes and accessories from the replica of Diamante fabric restored according to archives.

Web red and green stripes were invented in the 1950s. They, like many elements of Gucci DNA, refer to riding: straps on a horse were fastened with straps of a similar color. Now Web strips are most often used in the decoration of bags and shoes, as well as accessories like wallets and belts.

Another innovation of the 1950s - Horsebit stirrup detail, come down to us as a buckle on the bags and jewelry loafers. Hermes has a similar sign.

Double G character The brand first used in the early 1960s, but only one of the letters was unfolded at the end of the decade. Now it is the most recognizable element of Gucci.

Figure Flora was created specifically for the Princess of Monaco Grace Kelly in 1966. Together with Prince Ranier, Grace arrived in Milan, where she visited a Gucci boutique and bought a Bamboo bag. Rodolfo Gucci, who received a distinguished guest, offered her to choose a gift. The princess wanted a headscarf, but Rodolfo thought that in his shop there was no special headscarf suitable for such an important person. Gucci phoned illustrator Vittorio Accornero and asked him to create the most beautiful floral scarf he could come up with. The next day, Vittorio brought a picture of Flora. Now this print can be seen not only on scarves, but also on accessories.

Gucci Sign Bags

Creative director of the brand Frida Giannini has long been involved in accessories at Gucci. Despite the fact that now Alessandro Michele, who has worked with Frida side by side for more than ten years, is now the head of the department of bags, wallets, gloves and belts, the creative director always has the last word. It is believed that thanks to Giannini the world learned about such bags as Sukey Tote, Icon Bit and Lucy Clutch. Together with the most iconic models of the brand Bamboo and Jackie, created in the middle of the last century, they form the basis of the brand's profit.

Jackie o

Jackie O bag was created in the late 50s of the last century. It got its name after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who at that time worked as an editor at Doubleday, was spotted several times with a bag. Since then, Jackie O has been positioned as a bag for working girls. Depending on the type of skin on its production takes from seven to thirteen hours.

Bamboo

Perhaps the most famous bag brand, created in 1947. Its distinguishing feature is a bamboo pen. The model was the result of a search for new design solutions in the postwar period, when leather and traditional materials were in short supply. Now bamboo inserts are found in Gucci on belts, umbrellas, shoes and even furniture.

Icon bit

Bag Icon Bit first appeared on the podium during the show of the autumn-winter collection in 2009. Made in the form of a soft bag, very light. It is known that Frida Giannini carefully processes the archives at home, and the metal parts are a reference to the Gucci equestrian heritage. In addition to black, it is available in silver, saturated with purple, red, green and white colors, as well as an iridescent hue resembling the color of an oil spill.

Gucci 1973

A series of bags "1973" was not released in 1973, as it may seem from the name. Frida Giannini found a double logo in the archives of the house of Gucci, dated 1973, which became the basis for creating the line. For the first time in stores, these bags appeared only in 2010. Bags-bags and small bags on a chain are in the greatest demand in the series. One of the most minimalist models of the brand, of the noticeable details - just a double letter G on the lock.

Joy Boston Bag

Roomy bag tight form. There is in three sizes. Can be with a long strap or without it. Customized the most number of times: for example, a limited edition was produced by the singer Rihanna with prints in the form of stars, swallows and bows.

Yana Zubtsova, author of the Beauty Insider blog, about Gucci fragrances:

Gucci started the development of the perfumery space in 1974, releasing Gucci N. The most striking, powerful, unequivocally viciously thoroughbred-baroque brand created L'Arte di Gucci created in 1991 - a fragrance for a fatal cheerful widow smoking a cigar in her boudoir. The widow wears red lipstick, of course. L'Arte di Gucci has long been discontinued, but non-lazy collectors chase it online.

Envy for Men - the first fragrance for men of the era of Tom Ford, with a provocative name and quite bourgeois composition - made a lot of noise in its time. He was worn by all yuppies. Hipsters would have worn them, but they did not exist then.

Then all the fans from Gucci Rush. He liked everything from the bottle that repeats the form of VHS video cassettes to the name: Rush - a heroin parish in slang, in the turbulent 1980s this slang and the phenomenon itself were fairly widespread. The aroma itself was classically floral and peaceful - gardenia, freesia, jasmine and Turkish rose, seasoned with coriander and vanilla, but all the fashionable free-thinking girls still strove to smell it.

After the departure of Tom Ford and the arrival of Frida Giannini, the brand required a powerful perfumery locomotive, and it became Gucci By Gucci - the quintessence of everything that so Gucci. It cost him to start acceptable, $ 100, looked like a million. Female - powerful, frankly sexy, almost masculine and for fairly trained noses. Male - stricter, simpler (sort of-like-chypre-but-not-really), everyone liked. Then Frida, fully accustomed to the new location, launched a very floral and commercial Flora by Gucci. The latest Gucci - Guilty in two different sexes and summer flanker Flora Eau Fraiche. Female Guilty, launched last fall, was an absolute bestseller. This was facilitated not only and, perhaps, even not so much by the perfumery merits of the fragrance, but by the well-built marketing policy of the launch. Gucci Guilty sponsored the MTV Award in Madrid, Rachel Wood became the face of the fragrance, and Frank Miller, director of the City of Sins, filmed the video. Gucci, remaining within the bounds of decency, worked on the verge of this framework and earned tremendous financial success.

Gucci Initiatives

In 2005, Gucci began to cooperate with the organization UNICEF. The brand helps children in Africa with HIV. The most famous collection in support of the fund was the line of bags, released in 2008. For her advertising campaign starred singer Rihanna. With twenty-five percent of each bag sold, several million dollars were collected for children.

Four years ago, Gucci began to support grants in an amount of $ 100,000 or more from the TriBeCa film festival.

In 2008, the brand created a collection of organic cotton T-shirts, the funds from the sale of which were sent to Global Planet.

Two years later, Frida Giannini decided to make Gucci more environmentally friendly. The brand has reduced paper consumption and carbon dioxide emissions by changing the packaging for clothing, which is now made from certified, fully recyclable paper. In addition, the brand has replaced all mannequins in their stores on environmentally friendly.

In April 2011, Gucci joined the brands supporting earthquake and flood victims in Japan. The brand has released a Gucci Loves You bracelet, all proceeds from the sale went to the Red Cross. Decoration can be found in Gucci Tokyo boutique.

Gucci faces

Ten times the Russian model Natasha Poly became the face of Gucci: she was with a brand in different seasons, from 2005 to 2011, and perhaps this will not be limited to.

Six times for Gucci, the Australian fashion model Abbie Lee Kershaw was shot, which counts three campaigns of the main clothing line and three - the fragrance Flora by Gucci.

The Australian Raquel Zimmermann appeared in the brand’s campaigns five times.

Jacquetta Wheeler, the English model and photographer's friend Alexi Lubomirski, was shot four times for Gucci, the first time in 1999, the last time in 2009.

Three times in the Gucci campaigns, Freya Beha Eriksen, Lily Donaldson and Lisa Winkler appeared.

Mark represented and celebrities. Singer Jennifer Lopez was shot in an ad for a children's clothing line, actress Drew Barrymore - jewelry, singer Rihanna - Gucci bags for the UNICEF foundation. The brand's fragrances are advertised by actors James Franco (Gucci by Gucci and Gucci by Gucci Sport), Chris Evans and Evan Rachel Wood (Gucci Guilty).

Gucci Cooperation

The advertising campaigns that Gucci has been creating since 1995 were filmed by Terry Richardson, Mario Testino, Craig McDean, Mert Alas and Marcus Piggo, Inez van Lamsverde and Vinod Matadin.

The musician Rosin Murphy recorded the composition for the Gucci perfume advertising video by Gucci, which premiered in 2008.

In 2009, musician Mark Ronson created 17 models of sneakers for Gucci: 15 pairs of men and two women.

Last year, Gucci announced support for the Olympic champion in riding Edvina Alexander: Frida Giannini develops clothes and accessories for her.

In 2011, Gucci decorated 500 Fiat cars with red and green stripes on the Web.

Gucci Interesting Facts

Gucci ranks third in the list of the ten most influential luxury brands according to research company Millward Brown Optimor.

In 1998, Gucci hit the Guinness Book of Records: the brand created the world's most expensive jeans worth $ 3,134.

The Gucci SS 2011 collection has appeared on 50 magazine covers.

In 2008, the promotional video for the fragrance Gucci by Gucci was shot by director David Lynch.

In 2009, Frida Giannini managed to persuade the leadership to transfer the brand team from Florence to the designer’s hometown of Rome.

Gucci and modern technology

In 2009, Gucci released a free application for the iPhone, with which you can follow the brand’s news, watch collections, and learn about Frida Giannini’s favorite clubs and hotels.

A year later, a similar iPad application became available: playlists and games for children added to the above functions, created in honor of the launch of a children's clothing line. Mark Ronson also answered for the musical part of the applications.

At the same time, Gucci restarted an online store based on its official website, where buyers from the USA, Canada and some countries in Europe and Asia can purchase the main collections of the brand.

The brand created the site Gucci Connect, whose visitors can share photos and videos with other users and, upon receiving an electronic invitation, watch the brand’s shows online.

Gucci has a Facebook page, Twitter and Foursquare accounts.