Beyond the Yalla Dog

2.11.11

27 September 2011 – The Gucci fashion house opened a museum in the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.

The museum aims to promote the success of the brand over the past 90 years in producing quality luggage, handbags, gowns and, someone to my surprise, a completely branded Cadillac – just take a close look at those wheels!

Whilst entry to the museum is not exhorbitant at €4 per head – the fact that they wouldn’t let a Financial Times Journalist in my group into the museum without paying seemed not a little – but indeed a LOT – short sighted to me! Prejudiced against the place by the experience – which had not happened anywhere else in Florence – she was loud in her disapproval of the place as marketing sham and a complete waste of money!

I wouldn’t go quite as far as that – because I did find it interesting to observe the development of the Brand from it’s launch in 1921 through the war years and into the celebrity usage of the 60′s, which no doubt fuelled the obsessive “Logomania” ( their descriptive word) of the 70′s – and even now pervading through to the cafe where even the sugar served with the cappuccino is molded to the GG Gucci tondo logo!

I also enjoyed learning more about the success a business built on an obsession with quality – which was the original objective of  Guccio Gucci, who was born in Florence in 1881, his wife Aida, and his three sons: Aldo, Vasco, and Rodolfo, pictured below.

Gucci’s skills included innovation in the time of the Abyssinia crisis in the 1930′s when there was a League of Nations embargo against Italy. He had to find an alternative to imported leather and developed a specially woven hemp through sources in Italy.

This material was marked with a signature print of small, interconnecting diamonds in dark brown on a tan background. The company’s first suitcases are made from it – not a red- green- red web stripe in sight!

It was perhaps unfortunate that in his attempt to ensure an International Brand Gucci had associated his quality luggage with English travellers – most of whom had to pack their bags and leave Florence at the beginning of the war.

1947 – Leather goods production resumed after WW2 – and the business went from strength to strength through unique design and continued innovative use of materials – like their famous bamboo handles.

The celebrity cult began in the 50′s when Ingrid Bergman and Elizabeth Taylor – pictured below with Paul Newman – were seen carrying Gucci handbags. (note the bamboo handles!)

1961 – Here comes the GG logo – and the red green stripes on luggage and bags!!

1966 – The Flora print scarf which was specially designed for Princess Grace of Monaco when she visited Gucci’s store in Milan – the original design was created by Vittorio Accornero using nine bouquets of flowers from the four seasons, berries, butterflies and other insects.

Another Princess carried a Gucci accessory – here is Princess Diana in Rome in 1991 – with a bamboo handled Gucci bag.

1990′s – the museum archive doesn’t mention that in the early nineties the fashion house was in financial crisis – but luckily they had  Tom Ford on hand.   He began his Gucci career in ready-to-wear clothes but became creative director in 1994.

Tom Ford’s first collection in 1995, focused on jet-set glamour and sleek and sexy style.  It was a critical and commercial success – particularly with Madonna who accepted an MTV video award with a chant of Gucci, Gucci, Gucci!!

Tom Ford’s input revitalised the fortunes of the Gucci business through his collection of white cutout jersey dresses fastened with abstract but oh so “On Brand” horse-bit belts.

2011  Hilary Swank wears a Gucci Première couture strapless floor length evening gown with silver sequins and crystal encrusted metallic bustier to the Academy Awards in 2011.

This gown, which is on display at the museum, features a full ostrich feather skirt.  It is undoubtedly beautiful but all the dresses look infinitely better in the photos where they complement the figures of their wearers than on the display models …..but better that way than the other!

Also in 2011

Fiat 500 – a far cry from the flashy Cadillac Gucci introduces a customized model of the Fiat Cinquecento – accessorised by  Frida Giannini  that incorporates many of the house’s icons, including the green/red/green web stripe and “Guccissima” leather.

There is a lot of Gucci History not covered within the Florence Gucci museum – I hope that it will be included in future displays….but it would also help if the staff directed visitors to the stairs – where the photo history montage has been developed – and not to the lifts where they see nothing!

Predictably absent was any reference to the blood and thunder of the family – such as The Black Widow – Patricia Gucci, who arranged for her husband Maurizio to be shot in 1995, and who after being offered parole recently told the board at San Vittore jail: ‘No thanks – as it would mean getting a job and I have never worked a day in my life.’

Patrizia, who is serving her sentence in the Milan jail, added: ‘I would prefer to stay in my cell and water my plants.’

Summary ….A lot of effort – and a huge amount of money has gone into this museum and yet it is still best summarised as “half-hearted” ……. the coffee is good though!!