Gucci Oval Tortoise Shell Sunglasses
View Similar Items
Gucci Oval Tortoise Shell Sunglasses
About the Item
- Designer:
- Period:
- Condition:Hardly Ever Worn/Used.
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:Seller: 1730851stDibs: LU55036296471
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.
- New Vintage Serge Kirchhofer 624 Silver Blue Lenses Sunglasses AustriaBy Serge KirchhoferLocated in Baleares, BalearesNew vintage Serge Kirchhofer sunglasses. Spotless blue gradient lenses. This item may show sign of wear due to storage. Made in Austria. FRONT :...Category
1970s Austrian Sunglasses
- New Vintage Laura Biagiotti T48 Oversized Silver & Gold 1980 Sunglasses ItalyBy Laura BiagiottiLocated in Baleares, BalearesNew Laura Biagiotti textured sleek mask Silver & gold with pink accents frame with grey gradient ( UV protection ) lenses. Made in Italy. Produced and d...Category
1980s Italian Sunglasses
- New Vintage Valentino V584 Oversized Mask Sunglasses 1980's Made in ItalyBy Valentino GaravaniLocated in Baleares, BalearesNew Vintage Valentino mask style oversized frame. New never worn or displayed. This item could show minor sign of wear due to nearly 30 years of storage. Original Valentino h...Category
1990s Italian Sunglasses
- New Vintage Laura Biagiotti Oversized Sleek Brown & Gold Mask P30 SunglassesBy Laura BiagiottiLocated in Baleares, BalearesNew Laura Biagiotti textured sleek black mask frame with grey gradient ( UV protection ) lenses. Made in Italy. Produced and design in 1980's. New, never worn or displayed. This ...Category
1980s Italian Sunglasses
- New Vintage Laura Biagiotti T60 Oversized Silver & Gold 1980 Sunglasses ItalyBy Laura BiagiottiLocated in Baleares, BalearesNew Laura Biagiotti textured sleek mask black & gold frame with brown gradient ( UV protection ) lenses. Made in Italy. Produced and design in 1980's. New, never worn or displaye...Category
1980s Italian Sunglasses
- New Vintage Gianfranco Ferré 390 Tortoise & Gold 1990 Italy SunglassesBy Gianfranco FerréLocated in Baleares, BalearesNew vintage Gianfranco Ferre sunglasses. Tortoise with gold details frame holding a pair of spotless grey lenses. New, never worn or displayed. Made in Italy. MEASUREMENTS ...Category
1990s Italian Sunglasses
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.