valise bureau ateliers Gucci pour Pacific compagnie, Circa 1979

Guccio Gucci  

Born in Florence, Guccio Gucci was the son of a Florentine leather craftsman. He spent his childhood traveling between major European capitals, where he developed his genius for fashion and aesthetics, notably working as a head waiter at the Savoy Hotel in London.

In 1921, he founded the Gucci brand and created his first boutique and collection of leather goods, furs, leathers, luggage, saddlery, and equestrian accessories inspired by English nobility, the equestrian world, and Tuscan craftsmanship in Florence. This was followed by a boutique on Rome's Via Condotti in 1938; these represented the first boutiques of a vast international fashion empire. His early successes allowed him to diversify into gloves, shoes, and belts.

In the 1940s, a shortage of raw materials due to the fascist dictatorship in Italy forced the brand to use new materials that would contribute to its success: linen and bamboo instead of leather. The "Gucci bamboo bag" created in 1947, the silk scarf with the "Flora" motif specially designed for Grace Kelly, and the Gucci loafer, adorned with a metal horsebit, are iconic and successful models for the brand.

Guccio Gucci died in Milan in 1953. His four sons Aldo Gucci, Vasco, Ugo and Rodolfo and his grandchildren succeeded him, engaging in fierce family struggles (even murder) for control of the Gucci group, which they successfully expanded internationally and made one of the most important symbols of commercial, artistic and luxury success in all of Italy.