1970s Rare Gucci Silk "Pheasant" Print Shirt & Skirt Set
View Similar Items
1970s Rare Gucci Silk "Pheasant" Print Shirt & Skirt Set
About the Item
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.
- Valentino Boutique Jacket and Dress 80sBy ValentinoLocated in Rubiera, REValentino Boutique vintage 80s Damask red silk with black polka dots dress suit 100% silk Size 12US Made in Italy The dress has a bodice with splints inside The jacket has padded sho...Category
1980s Italian Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
$538 Sale Price30% Off - 1990’s Vintage Moschino skirt suitBy MoschinoLocated in LAGNY-SUR-MARNE, FR1990´s Vintage 2 piece chromatic suit by Moschino cheap &chic, detailed with funny emojis buttons. This skirt suit was seen on Fran fine on the hit sitcom the nanny in season 4. It i...Category
1990s Italian Skirt Suits
- Gianni Versace S/S 1991 Orange silk paisley print blazer and skirt setBy Gianni VersaceLocated in Milano, IT- Designed by Gianni Versace - Sold by Skof.Archive - Gianni Versace Couture Runway - Runway Look 51 - Bright orange paisley silk blazer and skirt ensemble - Exaggerated pockets - ...Category
1990s Italian Skirt Suits
$1,565 Sale Price25% Off - Vivienne Westwood red and black equestrian style pant suit, fw 1994By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood equestrian style pant suit comprising: red wool jacket with accentuated waist, shoulder pads, large double lapel and gold orb button fastenings, high ride black vel...Category
1990s British Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Vivienne Westwood red and cream Harris Tweed corseted skirt suit, fw 1995By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood red and cream checked Harris Tweed three piece skirt suit comprising: halter-neck waistcoat with sixteen button fastenings, built-in corset and large lapels, equestrian style jacket with padded shoulders, large lapels and two button fastenings attaching to waistcoat, and above-the-knee pencil skirt. 'Vive La Cocotte...Category
1990s British Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Vivienne Westwood red wool back-to-front skirt suit, fw 1991By Vivienne WestwoodLocated in London, GBVivienne Westwood red wool back-to-front skirt suit with gold fox engraved button fastenings at the centre back opening and black velvet Peter Pan collar. Vivienne Westwood was photographed wearing this suit at various public events in 1991-1992, including the presentation of her fall-winter 1992 collection (March, 1992), photographed alongside Azzedine Alaia, Kylie Minogue...Category
1990s British Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
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.