Guccio Gucci the Great: Five Facts About Fashion’s Finest

By Paige McKirahan 

 

As a plethora of designer birthdays are on the horizon this spring, we wanted to remember one of our favorites that were born on March 26^th; Guccio Gucci, the infamous creative mind behind the House of Gucci was born in 1881 in Florence, Italy to a family with a history in leather craftsmanship. Though Guccio passed away over 50 years ago in 1953, his eponymous namesake brand lives on and continues to dominate the luxury market. Prior to his death, he remained at the head of the brand and molded Gucci into the haute couture powerhouse that it is today. Read on to find out some fast facts about this fashion favorite and brush up on your industry trivia!

 

In 1921, Gucci opened his first shop in Florence, Italy

Guccio and his son Rodolfo in front of an early Gucci store, 1938 (source) 

This first leather-focused boutique laid the foundation for the House of Gucci as its quality goods allowed Guccio to build a reputation around his dedication to detail. He was known to employ only the best craftsmen from his neighborhood, and he created small leather accessories that quickly garnered him local fame.

 

In 1932, he created the "it" loafer.

After word began to spread about his brand, many people were traveling all over the world to purchase his designs in Florence. During this time, he created the loafer shoe with a gilded snaffle; this was the first of its kind and became such a staple in everyday footwear to this day is still the only shoe on display in New York's Museum of Modern Art.

Guccio and his wife, Aida, had a large family.

The Gucci Family (source)

Lucky for the Gucci's, they easily could keep the company in the family as their six children- four sons and two daughters- were the perfect successors. Following Guccio's death, his four sons, Aldo, Ugo, Vasco, and Rodolf, dramatically took over operations at the fashion house.

 

Guccio introduced the iconic bamboo handled bag in 1947.

Gucci bamboo patent form (source)

As the brand's first iconic bag, this accessory made huge waves in the industry as it was a previously unseen style. This design has been a mainstay at the company since its conception and is a popular choice by modern fashionistas all over the world.

Guccio's brand is owned by Kering.

The Gucci brand is now owned by a parent company with an affinity for luxury fashion. In addition to Gucci, Kering also owns Bottega Veneta, Yves Saint Laurent, Sergio Rossi, Stella McCartney and Alexander McQueen! Who would not love to be a part of this exclusive club?

We hope that these fast fashion facts gave you a new look into the life of Guccio Gucci and that you learned something new with us at TalkingFashion today! For a timeline of Guccio's life, click here!

Sources:

 

Paris Fashion Week F/W ’19 Accessory Trend Spotlight

By Paige McKirahan 

 

Some tend to say that the best is saved for last, and this fashion month this statement may have held true when Paris Fashion Week closed our couture-filled thirty days of fun. PFW, which ran from February 25 and March 5^th, is one of the longest running international fashion weeks that is commonly crowed the chicest of the bunch. As the original fashion capital of the world, the expectations in Paris were high but fortunately, the couture was higher. Gucci, Burberry, and Chanel are just a few of the high-profile names that stunned crowds as Karl Lagerfeld’s heavenly final designs made their way down the runway draping his various muses including Cara Delevingne and Penelope Cruz.

 

Final walk, Chanel F/W 2019 (source)

As we have come to realize this fashion month, high-profile headwear is at the helm of fall’s trendiest accessories in London, Milan, New York, and now Paris. Loewe nodded to classic constructions when they created their helmet style headwear featuring fin-like protrusions both above the ears and on the top of the design. Dior took note of Tom Ford’s NYFW bucket hat revival, spinning the desire to feature animal print complete with netting around the bill. We saw structured hats add inches to feet in height from Chanel, Ann Demeulemeester, and Nina Ricci that stunned with their glamorous color palettes. We also saw a boom in the hair accessory world with barrettes and headbands once again taking reign; Balmain hit the nail on the head with their chain link headband made complete a chic aesthetic to die for.

From top: Loewe, Nina Ricci, and Balmain (source)

Eyewear took on classic silhouettes with large lenses officially taking the frame-style crown back from last season’s tiny specks. Stella McCartney and Loewe’s designs had an intergalactic flair, while Celine and Chloe exhibited their love for vintage trends with their ‘70s inspired looks.

 

From top: Loewe and Chloe (source)

The jewelry displayed in Paris may be the most visually enthralling of all work throughout fashion month; their various structures and use of art styles directly in their designs stole the spotlight when they stepped onto the runway. We saw Isabel Marant take their shot at the single earring trend, creating a silver cuff with a whimsical aesthetic. Givenchy took the classic dangling earring style and implemented it into their ring designs, with tassels falling from a ring-bracelet hybrid. PFW gave us great stacking looks with everything from earrings to bangles as labels like Alexander McQueen loaded up their models with accessories that proved too much may never be enough. Lastly, the Y/Project may have had the most startling jewelry designs of all collections; with metal spirals to Greek-like sculptures incorporated into their work, they established their designs as artwork in their own right.

 

From top: Givenchy, Isabel Marant, and Y/Project (source)

Statement bags and belts also dominated the runway this fashion month, especially in this industry capital. In terms of silhouettes, it seems that thick, waist belts will be the “it” style this coming fall; both Chloe and Isabel Marant took this oversized look and combined it with last season western appeal to create beautiful, contemporary pieces perfect for cold weather looks. Off-White got in on the Parisian belt action with their classic clean-line design finished off with text saying “Off-White ‘LOGO’” replacing the traditional buckle. Givenchy combined the idea of the “it” belt and bag into a simple, utilitarian design perfect for those fashionistas on the go.

 

From top: Chloe, Off-White, and Givenchy (source)

As we have now seen on runways around the globe, the idea of what is "in" when it comes to handbags is shifting. This runway season, the ornamental styles of SS ’19 are out, and small-scale silhouettes are in.  From casual totes to wallet style designs, all collections had something stunning to offer. Rochas and Altuzarra created cinched bucket bags that are sure to be on everyone's must-have list. Givenchy and Stella McCartney took on an iPhone sized contemporary approach, while other brands like Chanel reinvented the fanny pack. One of the most talked about bags of the week, though, could barely hold your pocket change; these micro bags from Jacquemus have been making headlines from the moment they made their way into Paris!

From top: Givenchy, Chanel, and Jacquemas  (source)

With this, we now conclude the coverage of our favorite month in fashion! Which week was your favorite? We loved the looks in London and Paris! Check out our coverage of New York, London, and Milan and be sure to stay tuned for more fun fashion finds for this upcoming spring season!

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Milan Fashion Week F/W ’19 Accessory Trend Spotlight

By Paige McKirahan

 

As we have now concluded our catwalk through the third week of our favorite month in fashion, Milan emphatically reinforced its stance as one of the top fashion capitals in the world with its out-of-the-box shows. Milan Fashion Week, running from February 19^th to the 25^th, boasted its largest season to date as 179 collections were on display in this Italian favorite, closing out the month of February. Serving as the birthplace for some of the industry’s favorite family-run fashion houses (think Prada, Missoni, and Fendi), there is no doubt that this dynasty-driven capital has no problem putting the haute in couture. In the wake of Karl Lagerfeld’s death, expectations were high and undoubtedly were met with collections like Moncler taking up entire street corners and Moschino’s homage to Price is Right!

 

Moschino's Price is Right set (source)

Eclectic headwear has truly established itself as one of this season's "it" accessory as classic winter styles with a twist have been seen in collections in New York, London, and now Milan. Anteprima, United Colors of Benetton, and Fendi all presented their own variations of the Russian-style cold weather favorite complete with fur and chinstraps. Armani took a less utilitarian approach to headgear as their jewel-encrusted berets paired with their rigid silhouettes proved to be the perfect touch of femininity. Agnona's approach headwear was purely functional as their simple, beige beanies were the perfect companion to their monochromatic looks.

 

From top: United Colors of Benetton, Armani, and Agnona (source)

Moving on to eyewear, Milan boasted pieces that were far from conventional. Gucci threw their own private masquerade with a horror-themed- twist as models made their way down the runway with face and eye coverings embellished with long spikes. Looking towards a more traditional approach, Fendi, Armani, and Prada are here to prove that the age of tiny sunglasses is out and oversized frames are back in. One new variation that looks like its still here to stay? Sunglasses lenses in bright hues!

 

From top: Gucci, Prada, and Fendi (source)

Switching the conversation to jewelry, it is evident that gold is now reigning as the primary material for this coming cold weather season. Donatella Versace made this evident in her Milan collection, with gold belts, earrings, and necklaces designed with a mix of delicate and chunky constructions. Vivetta and Fausto Puglisi took hold of the single earring trend that was popular in the S/S '19 shows last year and showed that this style is here to stay all throughout 2019. Marni's jewels included a variety of chain-like motifs in the chokers seen throughout their collection worked beautifully when paired with their vibrant punk-meets-conference room aesthetic. Moschino stunned with jewel-encrusted costume jewelry perfect for their Price is Right set, with gold and silver settings pairing seamlessly with Jeremy Scott's over-the-top clothing designs.

 

From top: Versace, Vivetta, Marni, and Moschino (source)

Looking to bags, this season the universal design theme leaned toward compact and handheld. As we saw last week in London, the idea of the "it" bag is transforming, and designers may still be trying to adapt to this accessory based shift. Nevertheless, we loved this season's affinity for miniature handbags perfect for a phone and wallet but not much else, forcing their carriers into decluttering. Check out some of our favorites below! 

 

From top: Bottega Veneta, Vivetta, Moschino, and Tod's (source)

Now that this season's fashion month is almost over, have your favorite collections been in London, New York, or Milan? So far, we loved the wild look of London, but we can't choose just one as our favorite until we see what Paris has to offer!

Keep this article on hand for some great fashion inspiration for the next cold weather season, and shop our collections for some great headwear, pins, bangles, and dangling earrings of your own! For more FW coverage, be sure to stay tuned next week for our look at all things Paris!

 

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Paris Haute Couture SS19 Accessory Trends Spotlight

By Paige McKirahan 

It’s our favorite time of year again here at TalkingFashion; Instagram is full of the industry's it-girls and fashionistas are fabulously flaunting their Fashion Week looks as new,vibrant spring pieces are making their way down the runway! This week has been full of Paris Haute Couture fun with brands ranging from Chanel to Armani stunning the masses with their colorful, spring oriented collections that are making us beg for warmer weather! Taking your eyes away from the dazzling clothing designs may typically seem like an impossible feat, it is the fantastic finishing touches we can’t stop raving over for spring/summer 2019.

Dramatic headgear has been a fashion week stable for multiple seasons, and this week was no exception when Paris put the Haute in Couture with wide brim hats from Ralph & Russo; conical, beaded headpieces from Giorgio Armani; and floral fascinators from Giambattista Valli. Guo Pei went above and beyond with their headwear as they incorporated tree motifs, weaving branch like headbands through their model's hair. The best headwear of the week? Chanel and Dior take the crown with their sparkling swimming caps that stole the show when paired with their gorgeous gowns. 

 

From top: Armani, Dior, and Pei (source)

 

Statement bags, which tend to be another fashion week favorite, were once again sent down the runway in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Balmain boasted bowling ball motifs, while Armani and Schiaparelli gave us geometric couture that matched perfectly with their out of this world aesthetic. Possibly the most surprising of them all was the oversized backpack seen in Givenchy’s show; the bag, complete with a large bow addition, was designed by none other than Claire Waight Keller, the mastermind behind Megan Markle’s wedding gown!

 

Givenchy (source)

 

Nothing says haute couture like statement eyewear, and Paris delivered with precision as designers presented their wackiest eyepiece accessories on Parisian runways this week. In addition to the amazing headgear, we saw a multitude of eye netting to match with Dior’s circus-inspired collection. Face mesh was also seen in Antonio Grimaldi and Iris Van Herpen Collections, making their models look more like art pieces than people. Elie Saab proved that oversized eyewear is still in with their exaggerated, transparent designs that emulated futuristic glam. Arguably the most interesting accessory of them all was seen in Balmain's show as every model was sent down the runway with tiny sunglasses that were reminiscent of handheld binoculars commonly found in vintage horse racing photos.

 

 

From top: Iris Van Herpen, Balmain (source)

 

Now that you have seen our favorite accessory trends that Paris Haute Couture has to offer, what ones do you want to take home? If these pieces have you craving new spring looks fit for the Parisian runways, fear not! We have a great collection of pieces in all of these categories that are sure to elevate your spring wardrobe to a new level!

 

Sources:

Best accessories from Haute Couture Fashion Week SS19. (2019, January 24). Retrieved from https://www.standard.co.uk/fashion/accessories-haute-couture-fashion-week-paris-a4045791.html

N/A (2019, January 24). The Glitziest Accessories From Couture Fashion Week. Retrieved from https://www.elle.com/uk/fashion/g31889/best-jewellery-accessories-haute-couture-fashion-week/?slide=4

Fur in Fashion: Faux Pas or Fabulous?

By Paige McKirahan

 

One material that has been on trial in fashion court for decades is one that was, for a large portion of its life, associated with high status and class. Fur accessories and clothing have been in circulation for 170,000 years and were used as a status symbol in as early as the 11^th century. European royalty sported fur coats, capes, and accessories commonly made from mink, sable, and chinchilla fur. This increase in fur wearing prompted the creation of laws that regulated which social classes were permitted to wear specific furs. Prior to this, furs were more so used out of utility; the real pelts offered warmth and comfort to people in primitive cultures, starkly contrasting their new popularized purpose.

As the desire for luxury furs increased over the next five centuries, so did the development of fur farms. In the Victorian era, we saw a rise in popularity with both genders as the use of furs in movies put a spotlight on the wild textile. Coats worn by men tended to be lined with fur with other materials covering the outside of the piece. Women’s coats boasted fur accents throughout at the collar, wrists, and hems. We also saw the popularity of dress and shoe clips begin to inflate in the same period; these accessories were either adorned with fur details or accessorized the fur pieces themselves.

 

Victorian Era Furs

(photo credits to grandladies.com)

Other accessories that loved fur fun were scarves, shawls, and hats. Looking back at their basic use surrounding warmth, people used fur to accessorize cold weather outfits in style. These small hints of luxury could elevate any look and were sure to illustrate the wearers high status.

The 1900s brought big change to the fur industry as imitation furs began to take over the market. Real furs were expensive and many fashionistas, especially animal rights activists, associated them with cruelty. As technology improved, so did the quality of fake furs created from silk and synthetic pile fabrics. Designers began to create more casual looks using fur, moving away from glamour and more towards department store chic. The ’50s and ‘60s saw fur be more affordable than ever, with faux fur options being front and center on account of Old Hollywood influence.

 

1950s Fur Ad

(photo credits to vintagedancer.com)

Now, fur is still one of the most widely debated fabrics in the industry and and increased amount of high profile brands are declaring themselves as fur free. The ‘90s pushed the faux v. real fur debate and used iconic supermodels as spearheads for the movement away from a fur-filled future. Fendi seems to be at the center of this debate as their haute couture counterparts seem to be ahead in the faux fur conversation; Gucci and Versace have vowed to ditch the real thing, while Fendi continues to unapologetically create pieces with real animal fur. Whatever style you prefer, we encourage you to research furs and the benefits of both styles before deciding on a side! Remember to wear what you love, and find fur items you love in our collection!