S/S 1998 Gucci by Tom Ford Tan Patent Leather Ombré Lucite Top Handle Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 6.75 in (17.15 cm)Width: 11.5 in (29.21 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Good condition with very light signs or wear from use. Small scratches on lucite handle and light wear from storage/age.
- Seller Location:West Hollywood, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2388213967292
Tom Ford for Gucci
No one understands sex appeal quite like Tom Ford, who joined Gucci as a womens-wear designer in 1990.
At the time, the internationally renowned Italian label was better known for leather goods than luxury fashion. It was also nearly bankrupt. After creative director Dawn Mello left in 1994, following a Bahrain-based investment group becoming Gucci’s majority shareholder, Ford was named creative director. The American designer soon infused the brand with a fresh sensuality and bold style.
Ford's potent vision of sexed-up femininity spanned everything from shirts to shoes to handbags and other accessories at Gucci — he reimagined the house's iconic double-ring-and-bar Horsebit hardware, a reference to the brand’s equestrian history, as a seductive low-slung belt, worn by Madonna when accepting an MTV video music award in 1995. For his fall show during that year, in which Kate Moss walked down the runway in an unbuttoned satin shirt, velvet hip-huggers and tousled hair, heralded an exciting, glammed-up era for the once fusty brand. Vogue critic Sarah Mower called it “one of those hitting-in-the-solar-plexus moments.”
As Ford shot to fame, he continued to explore plunging necklines, such as in the black and white looks of the Fall 1996 collection, and sumptuous fabrics like leather and tweed, with the Fall 2000 ready-to-wear collection ranging from sultry silk evening dresses to plush belted coats.
Ford also cranked up the seduction in the provocative ads for Gucci, particularly with regard to campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, which the fashion house acquired in 1999 (Ford was also named creative director for YSL and designed the brand’s ready-to-wear collection). Gucci's Fall/Winter 1997 campaign featured Carolyn Murphy grasping Angela Lindvall in what looked like a video still; in another shot, a face pressed against a foot in a lipstick-red heel. Each promoted a vision of modern fashion where women were sexually confident, the materials were luxurious and the styles were fearless.
In 2004, Ford and Gucci president Domenico De Sole left the company after failing to agree on the renewal of their contracts. In 2006, with De Sole as chairman, Ford launched his wildly successful eponymous menswear label. Today Ford is also an author, film director and chairman of the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
Find vintage Tom Ford Gucci day dresses, jackets and shoulder bags on 1stDibs.
Gucci
Long before trend-bucking creative director Alessandro Michele brought his hallucinatory “Utopian Fantasy” campaign to Gucci, it was a modest Italian leather shop. Today, it’s an internationally renowned luxury house with an iconic logo, and vintage Gucci clothing, handbags and shoes are among high fashion's most covetable goods.
Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) admired the stylish suitcases he saw wealthy guests arrive with at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he worked as a bellhop. So, in 1921, after a stint at Franzi, a luggage company in his hometown of Florence, he opened a leather goods shop of his own.
At first, Gucci’s Florence business specialized in equestrian accessories. But as its reputation flourished, particularly among the English aristocracy, so too did its footprint. In 1938, he brought three of his sons — Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo — into the business and expanded it to Rome and later Milan. In the mid-1930s, a League of Nations embargo against Italy pushed Gucci to experiment with alternatives to imported leather. Its woven hemp fabric from Naples, adorned with the brand’s signature diamond print, was a hit, especially among A-list celebrities. The material was first used on suitcases before finding enduring popularity on handbags. (No list of revered designer purses would be complete without Gucci.)
In the 1950s, Elizabeth Taylor carried one of Gucci’s bamboo-handled tote bags, another adaptation to material rationing. After Jackie Kennedy was seen sporting a slouchy Gucci tote in 1961, it was renamed for the First Lady. Then Grace Kelly, on a visit to the boutique in Milan, inspired Rodolfo Gucci to work with Italian illustrator and Gucci textile designer Vittorio Accornero on the Flora print in 1966. Taking cues from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, with its pattern of flora and insects, it was painted entirely by hand and featured no fewer than 37 colors.
In 1953, just 15 days after opening his first store on New York’s 5th Avenue, Guccio passed away at 72. The early 1970s saw store openings in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but by the late 1980s, Gucci was floundering. Rodolfo Gucci took charge in 1982, but family drama and lawsuits ensued. In 1993, Rodolfo’s son, Maurizio, transferred his shares in the company to Investcorp, ending the family’s involvement in Gucci. Dawn Mello, then-president of Bergdorf Goodman, joined as creative director in 1989. But it was Tom Ford, who took over as creative director in 1994, who ultimately revived the brand.
Ford’s racy ads, shot by photographers such as Mario Testino, stirred controversy. And his potent vision of sexed-up femininity — with “jewel-toned satin shirts unbuttoned to there,” as Vogue described his breakthrough 1995 runway show — was wildly successful. The new millennium brought new ownership — Pinault Printemps Redoute in 2004 — and a more toned-down vision from Frida Giannini, who became sole creative director in 2006. Alessandro Michele was named creative director in 2015, and the storied brand took a giant leap forward.
Find vintage Gucci clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: West Hollywood, CA
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 1 day of delivery.
- S/S 1998 Gucci by Tom Ford Red Karung Snake Skin Lucite Top Handle BagBy Gucci, Tom Ford for GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a rare deep red lizard skin Gucci bag, designed by Tom Ford. This beautiful bag is constructed primarily of red dyed Karung snake skin and is made complete with gold-color...Category
1990s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- F/W 1994 Vintage Gianni Versace Silver Metallic Python Medusa Shoulder BagBy Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in West Hollywood, CAConstructed of shiny, silver metallic python, this vintage Gianni Versace was made in the early 1990s. Silver metal Medusa logos are prominently featured at the bottom of the handles...Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- S/S 2004 Gucci by Tom Ford Black GG Horsebit Shoulder Bag with Pink Satin StripeBy Tom Ford for Gucci, GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CADesigned by Tom Ford during his tenure at the house of Gucci, this bag represents Tom's interpretation of many of Gucci's classic elements ('GG' canvas, horse bits, etc.). This shoul...Category
1990s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- F/W 2004 Gucci by Tom Ford Finale GG Gold Bamboo Ring Shoulder BagBy Gucci, Tom Ford for GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a 'GG' monogram woven small tote designed by Tom Ford for Gucci. As part of Ford's final collection with Gucci, his bag features the same gold metallic leather and bamboo hardware...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- 2000s Gianni Versace by Donatella Embroidered Lizard Medusa Clutch Strap Y2KBy Gianni Versace, Donatella Versace for Gianni VersaceLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a purple lizard-embossed Gianni Versace frame bag designed by Donatella Versace in the early 2000s. This Y2K bag features a gunmetal Medusa medallio...Category
Early 2000s Italian Top Handle Bags
- S/S 2003 Gucci by Tom Ford Black Alligator Large Bullet Bag Bamboo Lock FlapBy Tom Ford for Gucci, GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a gorgeous black crocodile skin Gucci bullet bag, designed by Tom Ford. This iconic Tom Ford design was taken to a whole new level when he ...Category
Early 2000s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Prada Saffiano Lux Promenade Top Handle BagBy Miuccia Prada, PradaLocated in Scottsdale, AZThis Prada Saffiano Promenade handbag is the definition of understated elegance! Prada presents a neutral rendition of their iconic Promenade handbag in this versatile beige shade complimented by yellow gold hardware. The structure of this handbag is so sleek and modern, and the inside is so functional that you are never going to get enough wear out of this handbag. The inside is broken up into 3 different sized compartments all designed with different pockets/storing features to ensure your belongings stay organized and secure! Lined with the most stunning Prada logo satin, this bag is as luxurious as it is wearable! Pair this with an Hermes skirt...Category
2010s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Gold Kelly 25cm Tan Sellier Shoulder Bag NEW IN BOXBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Gold Kelly 25cm Tan Sellier Shoulder Bag The most wanted bag and the only one you need this spring summer! Brand New in Box. Store Fresh. Pr...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- Hermes Kelly 25 Gold Bi-Color Jaune Ambre Verso Shoulder Bag Bag Z Stamp, 2021By HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermes Kelly 25 Gold Bi-Color Jaune Ambre Verso Shoulder Bag Bag Z Stamp, 2021 A rare and coveted Kelly 25cm combining two of Hermes' best colors,...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags
- GUCCI brown Ostrich leather LARGE Shoulder BagBy GucciLocated in Zürich, CHGucci large tote bag in pale brown ostrich leather. Lined in ochre monogram canvas with one zip pocket against the back. Has been carried with some soft color transfer, bag is slight...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- VALENTINO burgundy leather Rockstud VA VA VOOM LARGE TOTE BagBy ValentinoLocated in Zürich, CH100% authentic Valentino Large Va Va Voom tote bag in burgundy smooth leather featuring light gold-tone signature pyramid studs. Closes with a buckle and is lined in beige canvas wit...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- 2001 Hermes Rouge H Box Calf Leather Vibrato Kelly 28cm RetourneBy HermèsLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireHERMÈS Rouge H Box Calf Leather Vibrato Kelly 28cm Retourne Serial Number: [E] Age (Circa): 2001 Accompanied By: Hermès Dust Bag, Padlock, Keys, Clochet...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Top Handle Bags