A History Of The House of Gucci
It was 1921 and Guccio Gucci opened the doors to his first boutique on Florence’s Via della Vigna Nuova. Inspired by the glamorous luggage during his time as a bellhop at the ritzy Savoy Hotel in London, Gucci returned to Italy with a clear mission: to design his own line of travel-centric leather goods and equestrian equipment. As recounted by Vogue, “It didn’t take long for customers to latch onto Guccio’s wares, and soon after that, Gucci became an outright sensation.” A family business at heart, Guccio’s sons Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo all took part in establishing the brand’s most iconic signatures. After making fashion history with the bamboo-handled bag, as sported by Ingrid Bergman in the 1953 film Viaggio in Italia, Gucci was solidified as the must-have luxury brand.
A visit to Gucci’s Florence shop was destined to be a star-studded experience, luring in the likes of Princess Elizabeth, Eleanor Roosevelt, Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn and Sophia Loren. From the 1950s on, Gucci was “outfitting and accessorizing it all.” With shops opening up in the most coveted locations, fashion icons Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy would bring Gucci’s house codes to life, solidifying silk scarves and hobo bags as timeless accessories. Fast forward to 2015, it was announced that Alessandro Michele would take over as creative director of Gucci. While Tom Ford is credited with reviving Gucci’s modern spirit during the ‘90s and early 2000s, Michele’s unique style – a seamless merging of revived, classic silhouettes and theatrical opulence – would take the legendary brand to new heights.
Marmont: A Family Of Bohemian Silhouettes
Designed and debuted by Alessandro Michele in 2016, the Marmont is a family of signature cross-body bags. According to Vogue, the Marmont encapsulated the very core of Michele’s creative style: “the untethered bohemian spirit of the ’70s and the hush-hush glamor of the Chateau Marmont.” Best recognized for its overlapping ‘GG’ logo in antique brass hardware and semi-puffed chevron-style quilted pattern, the Marmont embraces novelty and variation. The crossbody, flap style – available in a range of leathers and velvets – is undoubtedly the most popular, but there is an entire line of Marmont silhouettes. Including totes, backpacks, belt bags and bucket bags, the Gucci Marmont is constantly being reimagined for the modern woman.
Dionysus: The Widely Worshiped 'It-Bag'
A pillar of Gucci’s ‘Greek Chic’ aesthetic and inspired by mythology, the Dionysus is a modern-day signature. As his first handbag for the house, Michele unveiled the Dionysus on the Fall/Winter 2015 runway. Inspired by the brand’s historic codes, the first Dionysus was crafted in ‘GG’ Supreme, Gucci’s original coated canvas textile. With the Dionysus, Michele also brought new signature details to life, including a metal clasp tipped with two tiger heads and the garden motif – as filled with embroidered flowers, butterflies, snakes, and wasps. The Dionysus and its many eclectic variations are a clear reflection of Michele’s ‘more-is-more’ design aesthetic. Among the most iconic Gucci bags of all time, the Dionysus continues to be coveted as the ultimate ‘It-girl’ staple.
Sylvie 1969: A Monumental Year For Mankind
The year was 1969 – a historic one for mankind – when spacecraft Apollo 11 successfully touched down on the moon. Back down on earth, it was during this monumental moment in history that Gucci artisans designed the first Sylvie bag. With its dual-toned racer strip, foldover flap, and structured, boxy shape, the Sylvie embodied everything iconic about Gucci during the ‘60s and ‘70s. Fast forward five decades, and Alessandro Michele would revive this archival design as the Sylvie 1969, bringing it back to center stage. The racer strip has been discarded in favor of the signature gold-toned chain and buckle closure, enhancing the silhouette’s refined and feminine look. From forest green to carmine red, the Sylvie 1969 is best recognized in a bold palette of lustrous patent leather. Typically constructed with a structured top handle and delicate chain link strap, Spring/Summer 2020 saw the introduction of the Sylvie 1969 shoulder bag. Rounded and soft, this youthful iteration is just another shining example of Gucci’s master craftsmanship.
Padlock: The Best Bag On The Resale Market
First introduced as part of the Spring/Summer 2016 collection, the Padlock bag already comes in third as the Gucci bag with top resale value. As the name suggests, the gold-toned padlock closure is this handbag's stand-out feature. While many Gucci Padlock bags are crafted from the house’s signature GG Supreme canvas, there is no shortage of playful, bold iterations. Perfectly in touch with the tiny bag trend, Gucci launched a mini version of the archival style, which swaps the chain strap for a leather one. With such high demand, it is worth noting that the Gucci Padlock bags in GG Supreme canvas – as opposed to full leather – is the fastest selling model on the market.
