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The Family Feud over the Gucci Handbags
By Francis Sinclair

The Italian fashion design house of Gucci began in Florence, Italy in 1921 by a man named Guccio Gucci. When he opened his small, family owned leather and saddle goods store, he had no idea that the Gucci handbag would grow to become one of the best known symbols for wealth and luxury.

Italian Fashion History in the Making

In its initial phase, Gucci's work was known for its quality and craftsmanship. He hired skilled craftsmen to work with him and together they build a successful leather goods company. It was in 1938 that they opened a boutique in Rome and the business kept growing. Gucci, himself, was the designer for most of their products and in 1947 he introduced the bamboo handled Gucci handbag that is has become a company icon.

In addition to the Gucci handbag, the company is well known for its family arguments, disputes and differences of opinion when it comes to company operations. The family conflicts over inheritances, stock holdings, business operations and other family issues have often threatened the overall success of the family-owned business.

The Height of Success

Even with the family disputes threatening the company's success, in the 1960's the Gucci logo GG, which were Guccio Gucci's initials, was supported by many famous women, such as Grace Kelly and Jackie Kennedy, the wife of the United States President, John F. Kennedy. This support increased the popularity of the Gucci handbag and other Gucci products.

The company remained at the top of the design house establishments until the late 1970's when the family quarrels again threatened the company's survival. Soon the family members divided departments of the company between them and began to work independent of one another. Through mismanagement and disastrous business practices, the company declined in popularity and respect within the fashion industry in the 1980's. It was during this time that they also became the highest produced knock-offs on the counterfeit market. This fact caused even further decline in the high fashion industry.

The Turning Point for the Gucci Handbag

In the 1980's the company again experienced turmoil, confusion and reorganization. It was this reorganizing the saved the company and elevated it back to it's earlier standings in the fashion industry. Through the work of Tom Ford, a young fashion designer, Gucci was returned to a respectable high fashion design house.

Today, the Gucci handbag is still a sought after status symbol. The company might never reach the same status it held in the 1960's but it still enjoys a popular standing in the world of wealth, celebrity and high fashion.

Author Details:
Francis Sinclair, copywriter for various web sites writing articles about clothing and other related subjects.

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