Gucci has long stood at the pinnacle of Italian craftsmanship, securing its place among the elite of the luxury fashion world. From founder Guccio Gucci to the upcoming reign of Demna, the house’s DNA is rich, complex, and anything but boring.
Guccio Gucci, alongside his wife, opened the first official Gucci store in their hometown of Florence in 1921. By 1938, Guccio’s son Aldo persuaded him to expand, launching a new shop in Rome and broadening the brand’s influence across Italy.
Guccio had honed his leather craftsmanship at Franzi, where he developed a deep understanding of luxury leather production. In its early days, Gucci focused on saddlery, but as travel evolved, so did their vision—shifting towards luggage and leather travel accessories, blending Tuscan artisanal quality with refined English sophistication.
However, after World War II, traditional materials like leather became rather scarce, leading to one of Gucci’s most iconic innovations: the 1947 Bamboo Bag. With both the handle as the clasp crafted with durable bamboo and a body reminiscent of a saddle, the bag paid homage to Gucci’s equestrian origins and remains a favourite to this day.
Gucci has always held tightly to its equestrian heritage—just look at the iconic Horsebit Loafers, introduced in 1953 by Aldo Gucci, son of founder Guccio Gucci. A sleek leather shoe adorned with a signature metal horsebit, the design is so effortlessly timeless that it continues to resonate across generations. In the ’60s and ’70s, the loafers soared to icon status, embraced by style legends like Brigitte Bardot, Jane Birkin, and Sophia Loren. Building on this momentum, Gucci unveiled the Horsebit bag in 1955, another instant classic beloved by fashion enthusiasts. Notably, 1953 marked a pivotal year for the brand—not only did it debut one of its most enduring designs, but it also stepped onto the global stage, opening its first store outside Italy, right in the heart of New York City.
The Jackie bag is another iconic creation that has stood the test of time. Originally introduced in the 1950s and initially named the Fifties Constance, it gained immense popularity after Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis was regularly seen carrying it, prompting a name change in her honour. With its sleek, curved silhouette and signature piston clasp, the Jackie bag became synonymous with effortless elegance and modern femininity. Over the decades, it has been reimagined by various Gucci creative directors, each adding their own twist while keeping the essence of the original design intact—from Tom Ford’s refined vision to Alessandro Michele’s bohemian reinvention.
Of all Gucci’s iconic creations—beyond the Bamboo Bag and even the Horsebit—none have stood the test of time quite like the GG logo. Designed in the 1960s by Aldo Gucci as a tribute to his father, the interlocking Gs became an emblem of legacy and craftsmanship. While the logo has seen countless reinterpretations over the decades, it has never lost its essence: a mark of elegance and refinement. Today, the GG monogram stands as a global symbol of luxury and status, cherished by celebrities, style icons, and fashion devotees around the world.
No conversation about Gucci icons is complete without mentioning the beloved Flora print. This vibrant and feminine print was created in 1966 for none other than Princess Grace of Monaco, as it was inspired by the princess’s love for flowers. Designed by Rodolfo Gucci and artist Vittoria Accornero, it was truly a standout creation. Each flower in this unique, intricate print represents a different city or region, celebrating the beauty of nature’s diversity. Since then, the Flora print has been featured across a wide range of Gucci creations—from clothing and handbags to accessories—continually reimagined through the vision of the brand’s evolving creative directors.
By the mid-1960s, Gucci had fully embraced ready-to-wear, opening clothing-only boutiques and expanding its influence beyond accessories. By the 1970s, Gucci was no longer just about bags and shoes—it was setting the tone for global luxury, with its collections becoming anticipated highlights of the fashion calendar.
As Gucci evolved into a global fashion powerhouse, its identity continued to be shaped not only by iconic designs but also by the creative minds steering its vision. A transformative moment came in 1994 when Tom Ford took the reins as creative director. Under his leadership, Gucci became the epitome of sleek, seductive luxury. His bold, provocative vision captured the spirit of the ’90s, making Gucci synonymous with glamour, sex appeal, and attitude. Sales soared, fuelled by striking campaigns and celebrity endorsements, cementing the brand’s place at the centre of contemporary fashion.
In 2006, Frida Giannini stepped in with a different approach—one rooted in celebrating Gucci’s storied past. She brought the house’s iconic codes, like the horsebit, the green-and-red stripe, and the GG monogram, back into the spotlight. Giannini reimagined them with a modern sensibility, maintaining a polished, sophisticated image. While some critics found her direction more restrained after Tom Ford’s daring era, her tenure helped broaden Gucci’s appeal and reinforce its reputation for timeless elegance and heritage.
In 2015, Alessandro Michele ushered in a bold new era at Gucci with a maximalist vision that shifted the brand’s creative direction. Blurring the boundaries between masculine and feminine, he infused the house with eclecticism, inclusivity, and unapologetic individuality. Michele’s work embraced storytelling, symbolism, and art-world collaborations, transforming Gucci into a vintage-inspired, whimsical universe. His era resonated deeply with a new generation of fashion lovers, with cultural icons like Harry Styles and Jared Leto becoming closely associated with his expressive, boundary-pushing aesthetic.
In 2023, Sabato De Sarno brought a distinct shift. Known for his sharp silhouettes and minimalist sensibility, his vision focused on elevated essentials and a return to refined luxury. It was a clean break from Michele’s maximalism—sleek, understated, and confident. However, within his first two years, De Sarno stepped down in February 2025, following declining sales and a lukewarm reception to his pared-back aesthetic.
For a while, fashion’s biggest question was who would be Gucci’s new creative director, and as of March 13, we have an answer: Balenciaga’s Demna would take the helm as creative director starting in July. Known for his avant-garde, grungy aesthetic, Demna’s appointment signals an intriguing new direction, one that could push Gucci into more conceptual, edgy territory. As the brand prepares for this bold transition, all eyes are on how he will shape the next era of Gucci while staying true to its storied legacy.
