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Gucci History & Timeline :  Gucci was founded in 1921 by the Italian Craftsman Guccio Gucci (26 March 1881 – 2 January 1953). The company logo "GG" are the initials of Guccio Gucci. According to the legend Guccio Gucci discoverd Luxury Luggage in the late 1890s as an employee of the London Savoy Hotel, a famous destination for chic travelers. Later he was working some years for the leather manufacturer Ditta Franzi in Milan.   1921 Guccio Gucci, 40 years old, started the Gucci company as a small leather saddlery shop on 7 via della Vigna Nuova in Florence. The first clients during the 1920s were Italien horsemen. The reputution of Gucci was slowly building due to the high quality of the products using the best possible craftemen in the Florence atelier. During the war Gucci finds new materials, woven canapa of hemp from Naples to substitute imported leather.  In 1938 was opend a second Gucci store on via Condotti in Rome. In 1951 opend a 3rd store via Montenapoleone in Milan and in 1953 a 4th at the Savoy Plaza Hotel East 58th Street New York.   Over the years Gucci's four sons, Aldo, Vasco, Ugo and Rodolfo joined the growing company and replace their father who dies 1953 at age 72. In 1955 the Gucci name is registered as a trademark. 1959 Gucci Boutique in Rome moves to via Condotti. 1960 the Gucci New York store moves to 5th Avenue, St Regis Hotel. 1961 opening of the Gucci store in London 1961 opening of the Gucci store in Palm Beach. 1961 The US fashion icons Jackie Kennedy and Aimee de Heeren buy Gucci bags. 1963 opening of the first Paris Gucci store on rue Saint Honore. 1966 Rodolfo Gucci designs for Flora silk print scarf for Princess Grace of Monaco. 1968 September Gucci opens a shoe boutique in the St Regis Hotel in New York.  1968 October extension of the original Gucci store in Florence. 1968 November opening of the Gucci store in Beverly Hills. During the 1970s international expansion continued under the influence of Aldo Gucci. Stores opened in Tokyo(1972) and Hong Kong (1974). The first ready-to-wear collections were launched, featuring GG printed shirts or GG buttoned fur-trim coats. Two stores open in New York on 689 and 699 5th Avenue (see Visit 5th Avenue.com) 1975 is launched the first Gucci perfume, Gucci N° 1. 1980 tensions within the family, Paolo Gucci gets fired. 1981 launch of the Gucci Acessory Collection. The Gucci family tries to blocks Paolo Gucci to start a new "Paulo Gucci" lable. A lawsuit between Paulo Gucci and his cousin Maurizio, his father Aldo and his oncles Rodolfo and Georgio is creating a lot of media attention.  In 1982, Gucci shares became listed on the stockmarked. Maurizio Gucci, son of Rodolfo Gucci and grandson of Guccio Gucci became the new company president. Maurizio Guccio also held a 50% stake in the company. The company had a movemented history due to fights in the Gucci family. 1984 the lawyer Domenico De Sole becomes president of Gucci America. 1985 Gucci products enter the permanent MOMA collection. 1986 the internal Gucci family fights result in an IRS investigation on the company and Aldo Gucci has to go to prison for one year. 1987, Investcorp, the Bahrain-based investment company, Investcorp started investing in Gucci trying to buy as many Gucci shares as possible. 1989 Investcorp owns 50% of the stocks. 1989 Dawn Mello from Bergdorf Goodman become head stylist (until 1994). 1990 Aldo Gucci dies as a result of the stress in the battles with his son. 1990 a young Texan designer from Perry Ellis, Tom Ford is hired 1991 Gucci headquarters move from Florence to Milan. 1993 Maurizio Gucci sells them his remaining 50% shares for $ 170 million ending the Gucci family ownership of the Gucci company. 1994 Gucci moves back to Florence to cut administration costs.  1994 the Texan Tom Ford is appointed creative director of the company. His style becames more provocative and more glamorous using among others silk cut jersey dresses with metallic hardware.  1995 Domenico De Sole, previously CEO of Gucci USA becomes CEO and the company transformed from a mainly privately to a fully publicly hold company. in 1995, and Gucci made the highly successful transformation to a fully public company. 1995 March Maurizio Gucci is assasinated by an arrangement of his wife Patrizia. 1996 the french Luxury conglomerate LVMH make a takeover bid on Gucci. Domenico de Sole and Tom Ford form a strategic alliance with the French holding company PPR (Pinault Printemps Redoute) 1996 Infestcorp sells it's remaining Gucci shares for $ 1.7 billion. The battle over the control in Gucci continues for several years.  1999, July opening of the Gucci Store in Amsterdam, Hooftstraat.  2000, July opening of the Gucci Store in Paris, rue Royale.  2000 November opening of the Gucci Store in Zuerich.  2000 November opening of the Gucci Store on Koenigsallee in Duesseldorf. 2001 a settlement is reached between Gucci Group, PPR and LVMH. 2002 September 2 Gucci opens another Paris Boutique on 60 avenue Montaine, (in the exact same location where Christian Dior started his career as a fashion assistant). 2002 Frida Giannini from Fendi enters the Gucci Accessory division. 2004 Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole leave Gucci.  2005 Frinda Giannini becomes the company head stylist for both mens and womens.  2007 March 27 opening of the very elegant Gucci store in Brussels.  2008 February 20 opening of the new Gucci 5th avenue store, the World's largest Gucci flagship store. 2011 Sep 28 opening of the Gucci Museum in Florence in the Palazzo della Mercanzia.  opening of the Gucci store in Luxembourg. |
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Logos & Internet Domains : The Gucci logo was designed by Aldo Gucci. The “double-G” logo of Gucci artistically employs the two interlocking “Gs” Aldo’s fathers initials – Guccio Gucci. The Gucci logo has become synonymous with luxury, fashion and style. It is one of the world's very well know fashion logo ever created. The Internet Domain Gucci.com was registered june 5 1996, but Gucci missed to register the Two Letter Domain GG.com matching the iconic GG logo. GG.com was registered june 21 1997 and is owned by Mike Hall. |
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| Facts & Figures about Gucci today: Gucci is part of the PPR group owned by the French Pinault family. It is the biggest selling Italian brand directly operating 278 stores and distributing through some franchisees and upscale department stores. The 2009 revenues are 4.2 billion euros. |
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