subject: Gucci - From Leatherworks To Fashion Icon [print this page] One of the best known and most respected fashion houses, the House of Gucci was founded in 1921 in Florence, Italy, by Guccio Gucci. Today, Gucci is one of the top brands in the world and Italy's biggest-selling brand. As an additional honor, the only shoe to be featured in New York's Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art is a Gucci loafer.
Guccio's first store was a small leatherworking shop that provided goods to horsemen. In the 1920s, Guccio began selling leather bags with fine detail and classic styling. His reputation for high quality quickly spread, as he would only hire the highest level of craftsmen to create his product.
Working together with his sons, Guccio expanded to Milan and Rome and developed other prominent pieces in the Gucci line such as shoes, silks and knitwear, all featuring distinctive styling and signature work. When leather became unavailable during World War II because of material shortages, Gucci began producing bags in canvas. The canvas Gucci bags stood out thanks to their high quality of construction and the double-G symbol. Eventually, that symbol would develop into the Gucci crest.
In 1953, Guccio's sons Aldo and Rodolfo made the decision to expand the country to the United States and established offices in New York City. Soon the Gucci brand became a status symbol, worn by the rich and famous. By this point, the Gucci label had branched out, moving away from leather as its primary material. Handbags of rich satin and bamboo were being made and luxurious silk became a staple. Leather was still used to create the Gucci loafer, a signature piece of the Gucci collection. Also, leather luggage was introduced in 1970, followed by watches, ties, jewelry and eyewear.
Following Guccio's death in 1983, the company experienced a dark period for the rest of the decade. Marked by scandal and on the brink of failure, new blood was introduced in 1990 to reinvigorate the label and restore its reputation. A ready-to-wear line was created and Gucci's classic looks were updated. The company got its much needed jump start and took off as if the difficulties of the 1980s had never happened.
Today, Gucci has about 300 stores worldwide, and also sells its goods through upscale department stores. One of Gucci's major successes has been its fragrance collection. The first fragrance in the collection was introduced in 1971 -- Gucci No. 1 for women. Classic and highly desired scents in the Gucci line include Gucci 3, a spicy and sweet floral scent with notes of coriander, bergamot, tuberose and jasmine, and L'Arte di Gucci, elegant and sophisticated with a slightly fruity tone. Gucci also features a men's line of fragrances, including Gucci Pour Homme, Gucci Rush for Men and Gucci Nobile.
