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If you love fashion, you are already well aware of The House of Gucci. From their popular handbags to watches, fragrances, and haute couture garments, Gucci has become a household name the world over.

Guccio Gucci was the son of a leather craftsman. He spent many years traveling, and worked for a while in London’s swank Savoy Hotel where he gained an appreciation for the finer things in life. Guccio founded the Gucci label in 1906 in Florence, originally intending it  as a saddle shop. His talent for creating quality leather goods became well known, and he soon branched out into luxurious leather bags and high-priced luggage.

This small shop continued to grow, with Gucci hiring only the finest craftsmen to create his exclusive designs. In 1938, the shop opened a second storefront on the Via Condotti in Rome.Gucci and his designers continued to expand their product line, and in 1947, the signature leather handbag with bamboo straps was born.

Three years later, Gucci created the infamous red striped webbing, inspired by a saddle girth. Other trademark creations from this period included the leather moccasin with a metal bit, and various shoes, ties, and bags. Gucci handbags became a symbol of ultimate glamour and luxury for women during this period, and remain so to this day. Jacqueline Onassis was seen carrying a Gucci bag.Gucci launched the Jackie-O or Bouvier line of bags in 1961 and still carries them.

Guccio’s sons, Rodolpho, Aldo, Ugo, and Vasco, all joined their father in the company, and things were going very well for them. Two more shops were opened in Italy, one in Milan and a second store in Rome. Guccio passed away in 1953, leaving the House of Gucci to Rodolpho and his brothers.

The Gucci label continued to grow and thrive, opening more boutiques in London, Paris, New York, Palm Beach, and Tokyo. Celebrities such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and even Jackie Kennedy were buying the Gucci brand, and more importantly, being photographed wearing it. The GG logo was born around this time, featuring the initials of Guccio Gucci. This was the heyday period for Gucci, and interest in their clothing, accessories, and shoes were at an all time high.

With all of their success came business disagreements and family battles. In the 1980’s the company was resting with Rodolpho’s son, Maurizio Gucci. By 1989, 50% of the company had been sold to a group out of Bahrain, called Investcorp. Things continued to go downhill for Gucci, as they were hastily expanding their product lines to include sunglasses, fragrances, and more. This rapid expansion led to a financial downfall for the Gucci brand, and in 1993 Maurizio Gucci sold the remaining 50% of the company to Investcorp.

Investcorp renamed the label “Gucci Group,” and a Tom Ford was promoted to the position of Creative Director. Ford’s task was not an easy one; he was responsible for turning the brand around and making it profitable once again.

Tom Ford’s Gucci look was sexy, frilly, and flirty. Body-hugging outfits with sheer fabrics, sexy prints, and revealing hemlines became the signature style of this brand. Handbags, belts, shoes, and men’s ties were also still very popular with fashion-conscious consumers. While working at Gucci Ford went on to win various awards including Vogue Best New Designer (1995), CFDA International Designer of the Year (1996), Time’s Best Fashion Designer and GQ Designer of the Year (2001).

In 1995, Gucci Group became a publicly traded company, listed in the Amsterdam and New York stock exchanges. They issued further shares up until 1999, when a group called Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR) bought up 68% of the company.

Gucci Group has continued to thrive, in part by acquisitions of other companies. As of now, they own Gucci, Yves St. Laurent, Sergio Rossi, Bergeron, Roger & Gallet, Bottega Veneta, Bedat & Co, Alexander McQueen, Stella McCartney, and Balenciaga. Shares of PPR are currently traded on the Paris stock exchange.

Under Ford’s leadership, the brand continued to make fashion headlines. The look was high-octane luxury and Hollywood glam, which made Gucci the most desirable brand in the last decade of the 20th century.There was a lot of bling and glitter, and revolutionary ad campaigns like the one in 1995, styled by Carine Roitfeld and photographed by Mario Testino. Gucci became a hot, racy brand.

In 2004, Tom Ford left Gucci and was replaced by three other designers, including Alessandra Facchinetti. Facchinetti has left the group as well, and has been replaced by Frida Giannini, who is was named the Creative Director for Gucci in 2006.

Frida has taken the brand into a direction different from that of Ford’s flamboyance– the silhouettes are more wearable, and more suited to the urban career woman. She said of the modern woman to Time Magazine: “They need to work. They have personal lives. I want to design something for them, something personal, something that comes from the brain.” She has taken the brand’s profits to new heights, and helped Gucci achieve 46th position in the Business Week Top 100 Brands chart in 2007.

Although the business end of things seems shaky at times, Gucci has continued to be a strong force in the world of fashion. They own boutiques in major cities across the world, and sell their lines through department and specialty stores everywhere. Gucci has always been at the forefront of fashion, and with the talented Giannini, the brand can only go from strength to strength.

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