GUCCI Caramel Python Leather Mini Round Ophidia Shoulder Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Height: 7.09 in (18 cm)Width: 7.09 in (18 cm)Depth: 1.78 in (4.5 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Bishop's Stortford, GB
- Reference Number:
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: Bishop's Stortford, United Kingdom
- Return PolicyA return for this item may be initiated within 14 days of delivery.
- 2019 Louis Vuitton Brown Monogram Canvas & Leather Soft Trunk Messenger MMBy Louis VuittonLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireLOUIS VUITTON Brown Monogram Coated Canvas & Vachetta Leather Soft Trunk Messenger MM Serial Number: BA3149 Age (Circa): 2019 Accompanied By: Louis V...Category
21st Century and Contemporary French Structured Shoulder Bags
- CHANEL Canary Yellow Tweed Fabric 224 2.55 Reissue Double Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Canary Yellow Tweed Fabric 224 2.55 Reissue Double Flap Bag Xupes Reference: HB5116 Serial Number: 29608066 Age (Circa): 2019 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag, Authenticity Ca...Category
2010s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- CHANEL Blue Quilted Calfskin Leather Mini Chain Front Classic Single Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Blue Quilted Calfskin Leather Mini Chain Front Classic Single Flap Bag Xupes Reference: HB5058 Serial Number: 24904931 Age (Circa): 2017 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag, Auth...Category
2010s French Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- CHANEL Red Quilted Caviar Leather Wallet-on-Chain WOCBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Red Quilted Caviar Leather Wallet-on-Chain WOC Xupes Reference: HB5040 Serial Number: 19797670 Age (Circa): 2014 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag Aut...Category
2010s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- CHANEL Coral Red Quilted Lambskin Jewels Square Mini Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Coral Red Quilted Lambskin Jewels Square Mini Flap Bag Serial Number: 31132857 Age (Circa): 2020 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag, Box, Authenticity Card, Ribbon, Care Card Au...Category
2010s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- CHANEL Black Quilted Lambskin Vintage Small Classic Double Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Bishop's Stortford, HertfordshireCHANEL Black Quilted Lambskin Vintage Small Classic Double Flap Bag Serial Number: 3256728 Age (Circa): 1994 Accompanied By: Chanel Dust Bag, Authenticity Card, Protective Felt Auth...Category
1990s Structured Shoulder Bags
- CHANEL New Medium Chevron Boy Bag Dark Red Embroidered Calfskin Gunmetal HW 2014By ChanelLocated in Huddersfield, GBCHANEL New Medium Chevron Boy Bag Dark Red Embroidered Thin Chains Calfskin with Light Gunmetal Hardware 2014. This stunning bag is still in very good condition; it still keeps its ...Category
2010s Structured Shoulder Bags
- 1970s Pierre Cardin Brown Ultra Suede Snakeskin Logo 70s Bag Clutch CrossbodyBy Pierre Cardin, Pierre Cardin ParisLocated in San Diego, CAAmazing early 1970s PIERRE CARDIN brown ultra suede and snakeskin large bag, clutch or crossbody ! Hinge closure secures everything. Attached gold chain can be tucked in the bag to w...Category
1970s Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel 1986 Flap w Top Handle Clutch Exotic Convertible Caramel Lizard Skin BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Camel Lizard skin flap lined with lambskin leather and interwoven chain 1986 {VINTAGE 38 Years} Gold Hardware Interior engraved large CC detail Vintage male/female clasp clos...Category
1980s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Vintage Jill Stuart Crocodile Embossed Leather Tan Brown Crossbody Shoulder bagBy Jill StuartLocated in San Diego, CAPerfect vintage JILL STUART tan/brown alligator embossed leather crossbody bag! Fantastic shade of brown matches everything. Long adjustable bag can be worn on the shoulder, or comfo...Category
1990s Italian Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel Classic Flap Graffiti Boy Art School Oh My Khaki Canvas Shoulder BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Art School Oh My Boy Flap Bag Graffiti Canvas is the ultimate street-style chic perfect for the modern fashionista. Crafted from b...Category
2010s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- African Hand Tooled Leather Moroccan Shoulder BagLocated in North Hollywood, CAOld leather African Moroccan satchel bag with flap decorated with tribal embroideries. Hand-tooled in Marrakech, this is an old antique shoulder slim bag,...Category
Early 20th Century Moroccan Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Explore a Century of Gucci Fashion in London
The iconic Italian label’s traveling exhibition has just arrived in London.
The Stories behind the Most Famous Luxury Fashion Logos
From Chanel to YSL, the logos of some legacy fashion houses spark instant brand recognition and have come to symbolize a kind of luxury that feels at once aspirational and attainable.