About Gucci: 

When Guccio Gucci founded his namesake company in Florence in 1921, his vision was rooted in a respect for tradition and a strong outlook towards the future. More than 90 years later, under the design direction of Frida Giannini, Gucci has become world renowned as the Florentine House boasting the utmost in Italian craftsmanship and fashion authority. Synonymous for sensual sophistication, Gucci is the choice of the contemporary jet-set and Hollywood royalty.

In 1920, he returned to Florence and by 1921 had opened up The House of Gucci, a saddlery shop. He began his business selling leather bags to horsemen. He quickly built a reputation for making quality bags using only the best craftsman in the area. By 1938, Gucci expanded his business to Rome and his sons joined the company. He was now a family owned business that was destined for greatness. From the 1920s to the 1950's, Gucci and his sons expanded their product line, designing and manufacturing unique luxury handbags, loafers and fine luggage.

By 1951, Gucci opened a store in Milan and two years later, his company expanded to New York. Gucci died in 1953 in Milan, he left his fashion empire to his 4 sons. His son Aldo was central to the brands expansion into the world market since he opened the first Gucci boutique in New York. Further expansion, into Hong Kong and Tokyo occurred in the 1960s where Gucci was creating their own trends via celebrities like Jackie Kennedy, Grace Kelly, etc. However, during this time the family was in constant in-fighting. Reports at the time suggested the family fought during board meetings about inheritance, stock holdings, and how to operate the company. His son's carried on his name. With the onset of WW II, designers of leather products had to resort to materials other than leather because of severe shortages of pigs and cows. Gucci solved this problem by using cotton canvas. He continued to hire fine craftsman and use good quality cotton canvas. But, in order to make these bags distinctive, he added the famous green and red bands to the material and his signature double-G symbol.

By the end of the 19th century, Gucci was one of the most successful international icons in the world. With his unique designs and quality craftsmanship, actresses such as Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, and Jackie O coveted his designer handbags, shoes and luggage. After the death of their father in 1953, Gucci's son's Aldo and Rodolfo Gucci expanded the company further and opened offices in New York City.

In 1960, Gucci shoulder strap handbags were redesigned and snaffle-bits were introduced. In case you are anything like me and don't know what a snaffle bit is, I searched the internet and learned that a snaffle is usually thought of as the simplest and mildest bit for a horse. Yes a horse. And "snaffle" actually refers to an entire group of bits which vary in their action on the horse's mouth. All however, consist of a mouthpiece with rings at each end to which the reins and cheek pieces are attached. The snaffle bit is used primarily for lateral control of a horse. But Gucci used snaffle bits as a decorative piece of hardware on handbags. In 1964, the year after I was born, Gucci's butterfly pattern was custom-created for silk handkerchiefs. The famous Gucci loafer was updated with this distinctive snaffle-bit ornament in 1966, and later the luggage was updated with this unusual hardware.

Although the company did very well in the 70's, the 80's proved disastrous for the Gucci family. Guccio's grandson, Maurizio, following the death of his father, took over the family business and failed miserably. After four years, he had almost run the company into the ground. He couldn't rely on his Uncle Aldo because he was facing a prison sentence for tax evasion. Eventually, Maurizio was forced to sell his company to Investcorp. In 1995, he was murdered in Milan and his ex-wife was later convicted of hiring his killers.

With the help of Tom Ford, an American designer, Investcorp turned the company around in the 1990s and Gucci is once again what the founder, Guccio Gucci in visioned his company to be, an international icon and a billion dollar industry.

The name Gucci has become synonymous with Italian style. The fashion house is famous for their high-end materials, attention to detail and classic design. It is no secret, however, that Gucci's well-crafted wares come with a hefty price tag; all that meticulous detailing doesn't come cheap. Gucci handbags are an investment, but a high-end handbag can be the perfect purchase for a woman who intends to make it her go-to bag. Selecting a bag with high functionality will allow you to use the bag for more than one purpose. Some Gucci handbags, for example, can serve as both a briefcase and a handbag. When choosing a high-end handbag, opting for a classic style will ensure that your purchase does not fall out of fashion too quickly. A handbag with classic design, constructed with high-end materials can last you a lifetime.