Madonna. Tom Cruise. Holly Hunter. Bette Midler. Bryan Ferry. Elizabeth Taylor. All of these people, and many famous people in other countries, wear Gucci. Gucci is famous around the world for beautiful and expensive clothes and other products. The company started in 1921 with one small store in Italy. Today, there are Gucci stores in many of the world's large cities. Gucci makes and sells clothes, handbags, luggage, and many other things. This is the story of the Gucci family and their famous company. The Guccis are a very interesting family. They made Gucci a success after many years of hard work, and the company made Italian design and fashion famous around the world. The Gucci family had problems, too, and the famous company is not theirs now. But the new bosses made Gucci number one in world fashion again! Some Designer Products scarf perfume jewelry belt tie luggage wallet <1> FROM HORSES TO HANDBAGS The First Gucci Store Guccio Gucci was born in 1881 in Florence, Italy. He was smart, and he learned English, French, and German. At the age of nineteen, he went to London, England, and worked in the famous Savoy Hotel. There, he saw the clothes and jewelry of rich people everyday. Visitors to the hotel had a lot of luggage with them, too. These things gave him ideas for his future. Guccio went back to Florence in 1901. He met Aida Calvelli and she became his wife. Aida made clothes. Guccio found a job in a store and sold tables, chairs, and desks. He learned about money and customers. But he wanted to sell leather products, so he found a new job. This company made leather products, and Guccio learned more about leather. One Sunday in 1921, Guccio and Aida went for a walk around Florence and saw a little store. Guccio wanted to have a store, He also wanted to make beautiful leather products. So, he bought the little store. A Family at Work Guccio and Aida had six children. There were five sons - Ugo, Enzio, Aldo, Vasco, and Rodolfo - and a daughter, Grimalda. Everybody in the family helped at the store. Guccio and Aida made and sold luggage and leather products for horses. It was hard work. Their children took packages to customers on their bikes. <2> Guccio Gucci <3> A Wonderful Idea! Then, one day, Guccio had a wonderful idea. He could use the designs of the leather products for horses and make handbags. The famous Gucci GG logo came from a stirrup. The Gucci lines of green/red/green came from the design of a horse's saddle. People liked these products because they were different and strong. Guccio's company became bigger. In 1937, he moved the company to a larger place. The Gucci logo became famous in Italy. The Italians loved Gucci products because they were Italian. They also loved Gucci things because they were beautiful and expensive. Gucci became more and more famous. So, the family opened a store in Rome. Then, almost everybody in Italy knew about Gucci products. A Gucci handbag with the GG logo and the green/red/green stripes <4> Guccio wanted all of his sons to work for the company. Sadly, Enzio died when he was nine years old. In 1939, Ugo, Aldo, and Vasco started to work for the store. Rodolfo was not interested in the family company. He loved movies and he became a movie actor. GUCCIO'S SONS Guccio Gucci and Aida Calvelli Ugo Grimalda Enzio Aldo Vasco Rodolfo Giorgio Paolo Roberto Giovanni Maurizio The 1940s were difficult years. Italy was in World War 2, and people did not want to pay a lot of money for things. At the same time, leather had to come from other countries and it was very expensIve. After the war, in 1945, life was better for everybody. The company made its most famous designs: the leather handbag and shoes. In 1952, Rodolfo left the movies and started to work for the family company, too. He opened a store in Milan. Guccio Gucci died in 1953 and gave the company to his sons. They opened a store in New York. Rich and famous Americans wore Gucci's designs. These people were in newspapers, magazines, and movies. Around the world, the Gucci name meant beautiful Italian fashion. <5> In the 1960s, Aldo made Gucci a greater success in the United States. He started stores in Chicago, San Francisco, and Beverly Hills. In 1965, he opened the first Gucci store in Japan. Rodolfo and Vasco stayed in Italy. Gucci made all of their products there. Aldo, Rodolfo, and Vasco had sons and they worked in the company, too. Their names were Giorgio, Paolo, Roberto, Giovanni, and Maurizio. Under Water In November 1966, there were problems at the Gucci store in Florence. Water from the river ran into the streets of the old town. Dirty water went into the houses, the famous churches, and the stores. When Giovanni arrived at the store, he found water inside it. Paolo and Roberto and their uncle Vasco were the only other Guccis in Florence that day. They all went to the store and worked through the night. They could not lose the products! Paolo said, "We pulled and pushed. We took everything..." When the water got higher, it came up to their stomachs. But the family worked hard and 90% of their products were fine. Of course, the store had to close for three months. The floors and walls were dirty. Everything was dirty. <6> IN AND OUT OF FASHION Think about your last trip to a clothes store, Did you go there because you did not have any clothes? No? We buy new clothes because we want new and different things. We also want to be "in fashion," We want to wear the newest and most famous designs and colors. So. fashion is always changing. What's In? What's Out? What do you think? Put a or an X in the boxes below. long skirts blue jeans leather dresses red hair. black ties T-shirts jewelry for your nose Now. talk to your friends about their answers. What other things are in fashion now? Do you and your friends have the same ideas about fashion? <7> In and Out for Gucci In the 1970s. Gucci products became very famous. The Gucci logo was in fashion. Rich people wore Gucci clothes and used Gucci products. In the 1980s. Gucci products were more famous than before. Maybe too famous! Many people wore Gucci. so the clothes were not new and different. The Gucci logo suddenly went out of fashion. Today. Gucci is in fashion again! <8> Is Gucci for You? Would you like to wear Gucci clothes or use Gucci products? Are you a Gucci person? Answer these questions. 1 Do you like to be in fashion? 2 Do you like to feel rich? 3 Do you like to wear beautiful jewelry? 4 Do you only wear clothes by famous designers? 5 Do you take leather luggage on vacation? 6 Do you buy shoes because famous actors wear them? 7 Do you buy clothes because fashion models wear them? 8 Do you like products with a famous company logo on them? 9 Girls, will you pay $700 for a skirt? 10 Boys will you pay $1,000 for a jacket? Did you answer "yes" to eight or nine of these questions? Then, Gucci is for you! Did you answer "yes" to six or seven of these questions? Then, maybe Gucci is for you. Did you answer "no" to most of these questions? Sorry, you are not ready for Gucci. (But maybe you will be in the future!) <9> PROBLEMS AT GUCCI The 1980s and 1990s were difficult years for the Gucci family and their company. All of the Guccis left the Gucci company before 1994. What happened? Paolo Starts a New Company Paolo worked in Italy for his Uncle Rodolfo, but Paolo and Rodolfo had different ideas about design. They had many angry conversations about it. One day, Rodolfo said, "Paolo has to leave the company." Paolo went to the United States and worked for his father, Aldo. Paolo also talked with his father about ideas for designs, but Aldo did not like these ideas. So, Paolo left the Gucci company and started a new company. He called his company "Paolo Gucci." He made new designs for clothes and leather products. 'He put a different logo on these products; he used the letters PG, not the Gucci GG logo. The Gucci company and Paolo Gucci's company made the same kind of products - beautiful, expensive clothes and other products. Many of Gucci's customers became Paolo Gucci's customers. Now, Aldo and Paolo-father and son were at war. Aldo did not want Paolo to use the Gucci name for his products, and Aldo's lawyers wanted to close Paolo's company. Paolo told bad stories about the Gucci family and people read them in newspapers and magazines around the world. It was a sad and difficult time for all of the Guccis. Gucci-or not Other companies made "Gucci" products. They had the same <10> designs and the famous GG logo, but they were not really Gucci. The leather was usually 'cheap, and the products were cheap, too. Many people bought them because they were not expensive. Now, everybody could buy the famous handbags and shoes. Of course, this was not good for Gucci. These other companies took away some of Gucci's customers, and they took away the idea of Gucci products for rich people only. Gucci had to stop them. The company's detectives went around the world and found many of them. This was not always easy because sometimes the leather was not cheap. In some countries, makers of these products went to prison. In other countries nothing happened, so Gucci put the companies on trial. It cost Gucci a lot of money. Today, you can buy these "Gucci" products in some places, usually in Asia. They are not the products of the Italian Gucci company. Giorgio Opens a Store Giorgio Gucci also wanted to sell Gucci products to everybody, but his father and uncles only wanted rich customers. So, Giorgio left the family company and opened a store in Rome. At this store, he sold only small Gucci products (ties, scarves, and small jewelry). These things were not as expensive as other Gucci products. Giorgio Gucci's customers did not have to be rich.. Aldo Goes to Prison Aldo Gucci wanted to bring more success to the company. He made the Gucci stores in the United States bigger and better. This cost a lot of money. He also paid a lot of money to lawyers for the fight with Paolo's company. Then, he could <11> not pay all of Gucci's taxes. The police learned about this. Aldo felt bad. He was wrong and he knew it. He paid most of the taxes before his trial. He was eighty-two years old, and he was in prison for one year and one day. It was a sad time for everybody in the family. Who killed Maurizio? Maurizio was the last of the family at Gucci, but in 1993 he left the company with $120,000,000. In 1995, somebody shot Maurizio outside of his office. He died that same day. For two years, detectives worked hard. People around the world talked about it. Of course, in Italy, the trial of Maurizio's killers was a very big story. It was in Italian newspapers and magazines and on television. Patrizia Reggiani Marintelli was at the center of the trial. She was Maurizio's wife from 1976 to 1990, but not when he died. Patrizia did not want Maurizio to marry again. She wanted more money from him. So, she paid people and they killed Maurizio for her. Patrizia and four other people are now in prison. Patrizia Reggiani Marintelli <12> The Joneses Here is a story about a husband and wife. They love Gucci products. Why? Read the story and see, Jim and Liz Jones were from Topeka, Kansas, but they lived in a small apartment in New York. They hated their apartment. It was too small and there was a lot of noise from the city streets below, They wanted to move into a big house, but they did not have much money, Liz worked at a food store. Jim was a student and wanted to become an actor. They dressed in old jeans and boring old T-shirts. They did not have any friends in New York because they were new to the city, Then. one day, Liz Jones went on a TV show. She answered all of the questions and won $10,OOO,OOO! "We're rich! It's wonderful" Jim said. Jim and Liz were very happy. They always wanted to be rich. They also wanted everybody to know about their money, "Let's have a party for all of our friends," Liz said, "But. we don't have any friends here in New York," Jim said, "All of our friends are in Topeka," "Oh,... but when people know about the money, we'll have a lot of friends," said Liz, "A lot of people will come to our party, then," First, Liz went to the food store and asked all of the <13> workers to the party. She also left her job. Now. she was rich and did not have to work. Jim asked the other students at his college to the party. But he did not leave college, because he wanted to become a famous actor. Liz and Jim bought a big house with a pool. Then, they bought new things for their new home: new chairs, new tables, and new beds. They bought a lot of expensive food for the party, and Liz had a wonderful idea. "Let's have singing and dancing, too. We can pay for singers and dancers now!" On the night of the party, Liz and Jim waited in their new, expensive home. They waited and waited. But nobody came. The singers and dancers were angry. Liz started to cry. "I don't understand it" she said. "We're rich now. Why don't people like us?" "But" Jim said, "we don't look very rich. Look at me. I'm wearing myoId blue jeans. And your dress is pretty, but it's ten years old. We're really out of fashion. We live in New York now, and fashion is very important here." Liz said, "Yes, you're right. We have a beautiful new house and beautiful new things. Now, we have to dress beautifully, too." "Let's go to the stores on Fifth Avenue:' * Jim said. "Rich people buy their expensive clothes and jewelry there." The next day, Liz and Jim went to Fifth Avenue. There, they saw the Gucci store. * Fifth Avenue: a famous street in New York City. <14> Liz and Jim went to Fifth Avenue. There, they saw the Gucci store. <15> "Gucci'" Jim said. "That's it! We'll buy Gucci clothes. Everybody knows that Gucci's in fashion." "Yes, everybody knows the Gucci logo. And only rich people can buy Gucci clothes." They went into the Gucci store and looked happily at all of the beautiful Gucci products. Liz bought a Gucci watch, then some Gucci jewelry, and a Gucci handbag with the famous GG logo. Then, she found it-the Gucci summer dress! It was the newest Gucci design. "This is wonderful" Liz said. Jim bought thirty-one Gucci ties. He wanted one tie for each day of the month. Then, he bought shirts, pants, and two leather jackets. He also found many shoes in his size and bought them all. "This is great:' he said. "I'm a new man." The next day, Liz went to the food store. She wore her new Gucci summer dress, and everybody liked it.. The other women started to talk to Liz about fashion. Jim went to his college in his new. Gucci clothes, with a Gucci tie. The teachers and the other students loved his new clothes. "I think you'll become a famous actor:' one of the teachers said. "All of the famous actors wear Gucci." The next week, Liz and Jim had another party. All of their new friends from Liz's old job and Jim's college were there. Everybody sang and danced. Liz and Jim were very happy in their Gucci clothes. <16> THE NEW GUCCI After the Gucci family left the company. new people and new ideas came in. Gucci is the most famous name in fashion. Behind the company's new success are the two bosses of Gucci: Tom Ford and Domenico De Sole. Who is Tom Ford? Magazines and newspapers call Tom Ford: "the most important man in fashion" "the first great name in tomorrow's fashion" "the top man in world fashion." Tom Ford is a man of the world. He says, "I love Paris, Italy, and London.." Before he worked for Gucci, he worked for companies in Asia. He was in Hong Kong for a long time. Ford was born in the United States and studied in New York and Paris. When he was a student, he wanted to design buildings. But then, one day, he changed his ideas and went into the exciting world of fashion. In 1990, Ford moved to Milan. He worked for Gucci, and in 1994, he became the most important designer there. Today, he is one of the bosses. Ford is famous around the world for his designs. Other fashion companies use them for their design ideas. The ideas <17> Tom Ford designed clothes with exciting colors. <18> for many of today's clothes came from Tom Ford. In the 1980s, designs were not very interesting, and black and brown were in fashion. But then, Tom arrived. He designed clothes with exciting colors: red, yellow, and orange. He also brought the 1990s fashion of pants with wide legs, and shirts in 1960s and 1970s designs. Ford plans the company's advertisements, too. His advertisements are about young, rich people and their exciting lives. He thinks that Gucci always has to be new and exciting. This is very important in fashion. Meet Domenico De Sole Domenico De Sole is the new President at Gucci. He is from Rome, and he moved to the United States in 1970. He was a student at Harvard*. Then, he became a lawyer and worked in Washington, D.C. In 1984, he started to work for Gucci in the United States. He moved back to Italy in 1994 and became President of the company in 1995. De Sole put Gucci's luggage and other leather products at the center of the new company. He is also the "money man." He made new plans for the company. Now, Gucci stores can discuss problems with other Gucci stores; stores in the United States work with stores in Japan and Europe. After De Sole started his new plans, Gucci's sales went up again. Gucci Today In 1998, Gucci was European Company of the Year. The company is getting bigger and it is becoming more and more famous. *Harvard: a famous school in the United States. <19> In 1999, Gucci bought two other fashion companies: Yves Saint Laurent and Sergio Rossi.Yves Saint Laurent is famous around the world for expensive clothes and perfumes (Oscar, Opium, Fendi). Gucci wants to make Yves Saint Laurent more famous for its leather products: belts, handbags, and wallets. Sergio Rossi is famous in Europe for its women's shoes. Gucci wants to make Rossi shoes famous in Asia and in the Americas, too. Today, Gucci has more than 160 stores and sales each year of about US$l,OOO,OOO,OOO. Most of the sales come from leather products (luggage, handbags, wallets, belts, and the famous shoes). But the company is becoming more famous for its clothes. It is opening new clothes stores. Gucci also has plans for jewelry and perfume. It is making more and different jewelry, and a new perfume: RUSH. Inside a Gucci store <20> SEE GUCCI NOW! Gucci has new designs every spring, summer, fall, and winter. Of course. the company wants customers to buy its new designs. so it shows them to customers in many different ways. Fashion Shows People first see new clothes at fashion shows. These shows are a lot of hard work. Good models, good music, and great hair are important. Interesting ideas are important, too. Only smart and beautiful people can make a good fashion show. Gucci has a famous showroom in Florence, Italy. Some of Gucci's fashion shows are there. The company also shows its new designs in New York, Rome, and Paris. When Gucci started to sell its perfumes, the company could not have a fashion show. You can not see perfume! So, there were parties around the world. Famous models and actors went to the parties. <21> Pictures Gucci sends photos and videos to people at newspapers, magazines, and television companies. These people write and talk about the new Gucci designs. Gucci also shows its newest designs on the Internet*. You can see the new designs and products at: www.gucci.com. Advertising Gucci advertises in magazines and newspapers. In some countries (Japan and South American countries), Gucci advertises on television. The Gucci stores are advertisements for new products, too. The products go into the windows of Gucci stores around the world. These stores are always on busy streets, so a lot of people can 'see them. *Internet: You can read about people and companies and buy things on the Internet, through your computer. <22> Beautiful People in Gucci Madonna, Tom Cruise, Holly Hunter, Bette Midler, Bryan Ferry, Elizabeth Taylor. All of these people, and many famous people in other countries, wear Gucci. We see famous people in photographs and on television. When they wear Gucci clothes, they advertise Gucci products. Will YOU be the next famous person in Gucci clothes? <23>