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.




1980s Vintage Gucci
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Metal, Chrome
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Chrome
1990s Italian Gucci
Brass
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Gucci
Metal
1950s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Bronze
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Gucci
Chrome
Late 20th Century Italian Gucci
Velvet, Ceramic, Porcelain
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Metal
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Silver
20th Century Italian Modern Gucci
Leather
20th Century Italian Gucci
Brass
1960s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Metal
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Leather, Canvas
Gucci
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Gold Plate, Silver Plate
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Gucci
Acrylic
20th Century Italian Gucci
Glass
1960s Italian Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate
1980s Italian Vintage Gucci
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Gucci
Leather
Late 20th Century Italian Georgian Gucci
Silver Plate
1980s Italian Vintage Gucci
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Gucci
Plastic, Paper
Late 20th Century Italian Gucci
Metal
Late 20th Century Italian Hollywood Regency Gucci
Gold Plate
Late 20th Century Italian Gucci
Leather, Canvas
Early 2000s Italian Modern Gucci
Metal
1980s Italian Vintage Gucci
Brass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Gucci
Porcelain
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Gucci
Brass, Wrought Iron
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Gucci
Porcelain, Suede
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Gucci
Gold Plate, Silver Plate
1980s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Metal, Brass, Chrome
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass, Chrome
Late 20th Century Art Deco Gucci
Glass, Plastic
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Leather, Fabric
Late 20th Century Italian Post-Modern Gucci
Resin
20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Gucci
Silver Plate, Brass
1970s Italian Hollywood Regency Vintage Gucci
Chrome
1970s Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Leather, Glass
Mid-20th Century Italian Mid-Century Modern Gucci
Sterling Silver
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Metal, Brass
1960s Italian Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass, Steel
1970s Italian Modern Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate, Brass
1970s Italian Vintage Gucci
Silver Plate, Brass
1980s Vintage Gucci
Other
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass, Nickel, Gold Leaf
1970s Italian Mid-Century Modern Vintage Gucci
Brass