Gucci Fassion Design: Guccio Gucci

On my way to school one morning I had the radio up and was listening to a song called "She Got a Friend". As the song came to an end, I stopped by to get some coffee. The lady that served me I noticed had some Gucci glasses on. I thought it was funny because the song I was just listening to, that was now stuck in my head, was by a guy named Gucci Mane. on my way out of the parking lot, I see a truck with a picture of a horse saddle on its side. i knew this must have been a sign, because i remembered the inventor of Gucci products first started off selling saddles...and suddenly knew i had to do my art project about the main guy behind the now so famous brand Gucci, Guccio Gucci de Ference.



Guccio Gucci was born in Florence, France on March 26, 1881. Back then he was just a young business man and a small fashion designer, who grew to become an outstanding craftsmen. In 1906 he founded The House of Gucci, keeping it as a small family owned leather saddlery shop. In the 1920s he began selling leather bags to horsemen. As a young man, he rapidly built a reputation for quality, hiring the best craftsmen he could find to work in his atelier. In 1938, Gucci expanded his business to Rome. Soon his one-man business turned into a family-business, when his sons Aldo, Vasco, Ugo and Rodolfo also joined the company. In 1947, Gucci introduced the Bamboo handle handbag, which is still a company mainstay. During the 1950s, Gucci also developed the trademark striped webbing, which was derived from the saddle girth, and the suede moccasin with a metal horsebit.




After Guccio's death in 1953, Aldo helped lead the company to an international position, opening the company’s first boutique in New York. Rodolfo initially tried to start an acting career but soon returned to help direct the company. Even in Gucci’s rise over the years, the family was known for its ferocious infighting. Disputes regarding inheritances, stock holdings, and day-to-day operations of the stores often divided the family and led to alliances. Gucci expanded overseas, board meetings about the company’s future often ended with tempers flaring and luggage and purses flying. Gucci expanded to the in the 60's, and by then had developed their famous GG logo (Guccio Gucci's initials).

Gucci generated around €2.2 billion, which is a huge $2.9 billion, worldwide of revenue in 2008 according to BusinessWeek magazine.Gucci is also the biggest-selling Italian brand. Gucci operates about 278 directly operated stores worldwide (as of September 2009) and it wholesales its products through franchisees and upscale department stores. It is currently partnered up with UNICEF (since 2005) and is still growing, becoming better and better.



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