Inside the Brand: Gucci

The Gucci loafer was created in 1953 and is as popular now as it was then. As the only shoe in the permanent collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, it is hugely distinctive thanks to its round toe and metal horse-bit. The shoe was a hit because it temptingly fused the formal Italian tradition of beautifully made footwear with the American need for comfort.

Named after US first lady Jackie Kennedy around 1961, the Jackie bag was originally called the Constance, but was rebranded after the much-admired Kennedy was spotted carrying it. With its distinctive round straps and classic pouch shape, it was hard to miss, particularly because it was the first time the GG logo had been applied to a bag.

Princess Grace of Monaco visited Gucci’s Milan boutique in 1966 and Rodolfo Gucci, son of founder Guccio Gucci, was rather taken with her. He decided to commission artist Vittorio Accornero to create a floral pattern for a silk scarf so he could give her a sartorial bouquet of flowers as a gift. First Jackie Kennedy, then Princess Grace: the Guccis really knew how to pick their celebs.

From 1994 to 2004, Tom Ford revamped the house with what he described as his ‘porno-chic’ aesthetic, and central to that was the slinky white jersey dress: slightly see-through, very tight and with the occasional not-so-subtle hole cut into the back or sides. This was sensuality on a whole new level.

Current creative director Alessandro Michele is a world away from his sex-mad predecessor, as the inventor of geek chic for the modern era and the most celebrated designer of the past two years. It’s hard to pick out an individual look among his Wes Anderson-inspired designs but his long, floaty, floral print dresses, complete with pussy-bow neck tie and ruffled sleeves, have been central in defining the aesthetic of 2016.

Come find out more about Alessandro Michele.