G- Force

From family business to fashion empire; from film star clients to family feuds; from Florence to the brink of financial ruin and back again, Gucci has seen it all. In the fickle world of fashion, surviving 90 years is no mean feat, given Gucci’s turbulent history it’s more like a miracle.

High fashion is so intrinsically linked to runway shows, ready-to-wear and red carpet glamour that it has become this that defines a label. The bags, the shoes, the accessories are a licensing dream but often we think of them as extras, a bonus opportunity for fashion houses to further market their brands. But for Gucci, this was where it all began.

Luxury Leathers
Paying his dues working in the exclusive hotels of Paris and London, the young Guccio Gucci was inspired by the luxury luggage of the sophisticated guests he served. Taking this with him on his return to his hometown of Florence, he founded a humble workshop specialising in classically-styled, leather goods.

With his three sons, Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo, Gucci expanded to Milan and Rome where by the 1950s, the boutiques were being visited by Hollywood stars such as Elizabeth Taylor, Clark Gable and Sophia Loren. Gucci was becoming synonymous with luxury and glamour.

Boom to Bust
The direction that Guccio had envisaged was becoming a reality. The association of his label with the allure of wealth strengthened throughout the following decades and they were in a perfect position for the boom years of the 1980s and the ‘logomania’ that ensued. The double ‘G’ logo became a status symbol, their horsebit loafers became a yuppy fashion statement; Gucci was a luxe label for everyone from Sloane rangers to rock stars.

But by the end of the decade things were looking less golden. The brand’s luxury edge was being spoilt by too many licensees and the business contaminated by family feuds. Roldolfo’s son Maurizio had taken over the company direction in 1983, which included the sacking of his uncle, Aldo and led to him selling the family business by 1988.

Ford Focus
In many ways this proved Gucci’s saviour. Dawn Mello, who’d made her name transforming the fortunes of US store Bergdof Goodman, was brought in re-establish Gucci’s fine reputation. Perhaps her crowning move was to take a chance on the relatively unknown Tom Ford, whom she appointed in 1990.

Four years later, Ford was running the show as creative director. Bling was still the thing. Ford still loved the double G logo for instance but he slimmed it back to its 1970s shape to fit his new, streamline aesthetic. Now, as well as the glamour of a luxury label, Ford was giving Gucci sex appeal, epitomised by silk shirts unbuttoned to the waist and velvet trousers slung low from the hips.

For a decade Ford powered not just Gucci’s style but much of its business direction as well. Along with chief executive, Domenico de Sole, the brand became more than just a fashion house, it became the Gucci Group, taking in Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Bottega Veneta and Sergio Rossi as well as sharing in Stella McCartney, Alexander McQueen and Balenciaga.

But the beginning of the new millennium saw a struggle for power amongst its share holders resulting in a new majority influence. Can it be just a coincidence that both de Sole and Ford left not a year later in 2004 when their contracts expired?

A New Golden Girl
In many ways though, fresh blood has brought new life to the label for the new century. Ford’s initial successor, Alessaandra Facchinetti was a shaky start, being replaced after only two seasons, but the next appointment of Frida Giannini was a master stroke.

If Ford’s Gucci was all about sex, his muse a feline temptress, an alpha woman, then Giannini’s Gucci is all about femininity and romance. Her ethos is softer, her tastes more eclectic and the Gucci woman is richer and more exotic for it.

She is re-investing time in the Gucci archive and what we are seeing now is the very essence of the label. Whilst her accessories pay dutiful homage to the brand’s heritage, her design handwriting is gracing a new generation with beautiful clothing. I’m sure Guccio would be very proud.