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For as long as we’ve needed to carry around personal items to and from our homes, handbags of some fashion have been in our lives. Our love for vintage handbags and purses goes back a long time. This is a sophisticated accessory - it sits flat against your body and provides easy access to your belongings at all times. A shoulder bag that’s designed to be durable and lightweight, messenger bags offer comfort and convenience when carrying heavy items, and while their functionality is comparable to that of standard backpacks, you don’t have to take your bag off to get into its compartments and various zippered pockets. Stylish and practical, vintage and designer crossbody bags and messenger bags are ideal for all occasions, from lunch dates to errands to sunny afternoons in the park to formal affairs. Fashion of the 21st Century and Contemporary Alessandro Michele was named creative director in 2015, and the storied brand took a giant leap forward.įind vintage Gucci clothing and accessories on 1stDibs. The new millennium brought new ownership - Pinault Printemps Redoute in 2004 - and a more toned-down vision from Frida Giannini, who became sole creative director in 2006. And his potent vision of sexed-up femininity - with “jewel-toned satin shirts unbuttoned to there,” as Vogue described his breakthrough 1995 runway show - was wildly successful. But it was Tom Ford, who took over as creative director in 1994, who ultimately revived the brand.įord’s racy ads, shot by photographers such as Mario Testino, stirred controversy. Dawn Mello, then-president of Bergdorf Goodman, joined as creative director in 1989. In 1993, Rodolfo’s son, Maurizio, transferred his shares in the company to Investcorp, ending the family’s involvement in Gucci. Rodolfo Gucci took charge in 1982, but family drama and lawsuits ensued. The early 1970s saw store openings in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but by the late 1980s, Gucci was floundering. In 1953, just 15 days after opening his first store on New York’s 5th Avenue, Guccio passed away at 72. Taking cues from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, with its pattern of flora and insects, it was painted entirely by hand and featured no fewer than 37 colors. Then Grace Kelly, on a visit to the boutique in Milan, inspired Rodolfo Gucci to work with Italian illustrator and Gucci textile designer Vittorio Accornero on the Flora print in 1966. After Jackie Kennedy was seen sporting a slouchy Gucci tote in 1961, it was renamed for the First Lady. In the 1950s, Elizabeth Taylor carried one of Gucci’s bamboo-handled tote bags, another adaptation to material rationing. (No list of revered designer purses would be complete without Gucci.) The material was first used on suitcases before finding enduring popularity on handbags.
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Its woven hemp fabric from Naples, adorned with the brand’s signature diamond print, was a hit, especially among A-list celebrities. In the mid-1930s, a League of Nations embargo against Italy pushed Gucci to experiment with alternatives to imported leather. In 1938, he brought three of his sons - Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo - into the business and expanded it to Rome and later Milan. But as its reputation flourished, particularly among the English aristocracy, so too did its footprint. So, in 1921, after a stint at Franzi, a luggage company in his hometown of Florence, he opened a leather goods shop of his own.Īt first, Gucci’s Florence business specialized in equestrian accessories. Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) admired the stylish suitcases he saw wealthy guests arrive with at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he worked as a bellhop. Today, it’s an internationally renowned luxury house with an iconic logo, and vintage Gucci clothing, handbags and shoes are among high fashion's most covetable goods. *Please allow 2-3 business days extra for orders placed during the busy sale period.Long before trend-bucking creative director Alessandro Michele brought his hallucinatory “Utopian Fantasy” campaign to Gucci, it was a modest Italian leather shop. All orders placed before 12PM gmt will be dispatched the same working day.*
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Just fill in your office address details at the checkout when prompted. You can only specify a different delivery address from your billing address, if it is your place of work. You can check the status of your order one to two hours after receiving the email via the link provided. All orders are shipped worldwide via our affiliate couriers.Īs soon as we have shipped your order you will receive an email stating the tracking number.
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