Vintage GUCCI Black Lizard Skin Leather Gold G Handbag
View Similar Items
Vintage GUCCI Black Lizard Skin Leather Gold G Handbag
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.
- CHLOE Navy Pony Hair GALA Bucket HandbagBy ChloéLocated in San Francisco, CACHLOE "Gala" bucket bag comes in rich navy ponyhair leather with a black leather rolled top handle attached with gold tone ball chains, purple leather drawstring, purple leather inte...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Shoulder Bags
$856 Sale Price30% Off - BOTTEGA VENETA Leopard Pony Hair Mini Cross Body HandbagBy Bottega VenetaLocated in San Francisco, CAVintage BOTTEGA VENETA mini crossbody bag comes in leopard print ponyhair in a square shape with top tassel zip and skinny strap. Wear throughout. As-is. Made in Italy.Fair Pre-Owned...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- MOSCHINO Black Quilted Mini Handbag & Leather GoodsBy MoschinoLocated in San Francisco, CAMOSCHINO Cheap and Chic bag comes in a black quilted woven material featuring a bow detail at the handle, inner pocket, and a zipper closure. Made in Italy. Very Good Pre-Owned Condi...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- ALEXANDER WANG Black Wrinkled Leather HandbagBy Alexander WangLocated in San Francisco, CAALEXANDER WANG handbag comes in a black embossed leather featuring shoulder leather straps, copper tone hardware, inner pockets, and a zipper closure.Good Pre-Owned Condition. Modera...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- MARC JACOBS Black Quilted Leather Satchel Stam HandbagBy Marc JacobsLocated in San Francisco, CAMARC JACOBS 'Stam' bag comes in a black quilted leather featuring top handles, gold tone hardware, front zipper pocket, inner pocket, and a kiss-lock closure. Good Pre-Owned Conditio...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- LAMBERTSON TRUEX Beige Leather Shoulder Bag HandbagBy Lambertson TruexLocated in San Francisco, CALAMBERTSON TRUEX handbag comes in a beige leather featuring a top handle, inner slots, and a gold tone clasp closure. Made in Italy. Good Pre-Owned Condition. Minor wear & marks. M...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Top Handle Bags
- Celine Trapeze Medium Tri-Color Suede and Leather HandbagBy CelineLocated in Boca Raton, FLCompany-Celine Model-Trapeze Medium Color-Tri Color White Black and Orange Date Code-S-AT-4184 S-CU-5104 Material-Leather and Suede Measurements-11.75" L x 7"W x 8.25" H Strap-14....Category
2010s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel 2000 Brown Multicolor Patchwork Mink Fur Chain Shoulder Tote BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Brown Multicolor Patchwork Mink Fur Shoulder Bag Brown Mink Interlocking CC Logo Gold-Tone Hardware Chain-Link Shoulder Strap Leather Lining &...Category
Early 2000s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Hermès Raisin Togo Kelly Retourne 35 PHWBy HermèsLocated in New York, NYHermès Raisin Togo Kelly Retourne 35 PHW SKU: 111993 MSRP: Condition: Pre-owned (3000) Condition Description: Handbag Condition: Very Good Condition ...Category
2010s Shoulder Bags
- c.1970s Black Croc Convertible Shoulder BagLocated in Alford, MAThis versatile vintage crocodile bag can be worn either as a shoulder bag, when the strap is fully extended, or as a handbag,when it is doubled; ...Category
Late 20th Century Unknown Structured Shoulder Bags
- Louis Vuitton Capucines MM Bag Yayoi Kusama NEW Full-Set Worldwide Sold OutBy Louis Vuitton, Yayoi KusamaLocated in Roosendaal, NLFrom the collection of SAVINETI we offer this super rare limited edition Louis Vuitton Capucines LV X YK: - Brand: Louis Vuitton - Model: Capucines Black - Yea...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Louis Vuitton OnTheGo MM Bag Yayoi Kusama NEW Full-SetBy Louis Vuitton, Yayoi KusamaLocated in Roosendaal, NLFrom the collection of SAVINETI we offer this Louis Vuitton Onthego LV X YK: - Brand: Louis Vuitton - Model: OnTheGo - Year: 2023 - Condition: NEW / unused - M...Category
2010s French Top Handle 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.