Born in 1881, craftsman’s son Guccio Gucci founded the House of Gucci as a saddlery shop in Florence in 1906. Guccio's first talent was his craftsmanship in leather goods. He started out selling leather bags to horsemen in the 1920’s and progressed to luxury luggage as his clients graduated from equine transportation to horseless carriages. In 1938 Guccio Gucci opened their first retail shop on the Via Condotti in Rome. 
 
But with the fame and recognition of the brand name came some turmoil. While Gucci goods were considered a status symbol of the times, management and inner family seemed to disagree. Brother Maurizio Gucci took an apparently ailing business over from his founding brother, who in turn sold it to an Arab concern in the 80’s.

In the 1990’s, Tom Ford, Gucci’s newest executive head, has brought Gucci back to the center of chic, and now commands a varied line of products including leather fashions, perfumes, colognes, cosmetics, shoes (including the moccasin with the distinctive Gucci snaffle-bit), the "Flora" foulard created for Grace Kelly by Rodolfo Gucci, suitcases, watches, jewelry, silk scarves, sports articles, belt clasps (the one with the Guccio Gucci initials, was introduced 1964), ties, and eyeglasses.

Today, creative direction of Gucci is the responsibility of Frida Giannini and Gucci continues to explore its roots. 'La Pelle Guccissima' - an entirely original, heat-printed signature leather - has been launched under Giannini's direction, and is destined to become the label's next icon, expressing in it's workmanship and impeccable quality a strength that is singularly Gucci's.