1914-1992
Website: www.emiliopucci.com
Emilio Pucci di Barsento, Marquis of Barsento, was born in Naples, Italy in 1914. He spent two years at Milan University, before moving to the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia, USA for a further two years of study.
In 1934 he was a member of the Italian Olympic ski team. In 1937, he won a skiing scholarship to Reed College in Oregon. There he majored in social sciences and received his MA two years later in 1939. He made his first venture into fashion by designing the uniforms for the Ski team.
Being born into an aristocratic family, he was the first Pucci to actually work in over 1,000 years. But he spared his family honour by signing his work only as "Emilio".
Returning to Italy, he spent the war years as a bomber in the Italian Air Force. He was awarded a doctorate in political science from the University of Florence in 1941.
Pucci was a keen sportsman and as a high school student had been a member of the Italian Olympic ski team. After World War II, in 1947, he was photographed by Toni Frissell of Harper's Bazaar on the Italian ski slopes, wearing ski pants of his own design. The magazine asked him to create some winter clothes for women, which it subsequently published and which per put on sale in various New York stores.
In 1949, Pucci opened a boutique in Capri, selling the range of his interesting items. He introduced "Capri Pants" which took the world by storm.
In 1951, the first fashion show took place in Florence. During the 50's, Pucci gained a reputation as a designer of brilliantly patterned sporting wear and relaxed daywear. He contributed to the success of post-war Italian fashion design. He used silk jersey for his dresses which were light weight, wrinkle free and supremely comfortable. Diana Vreeland said it was like wearing nothing at all.
In 1959, Emilio Pucci married Cristina Nannini, and their daughter Alessandro was born the same year. Their second daughter Laudomia was born in 1961.
In 1962, Pucci's first haute couture collection was shown, and he mentioned that it was a homage to Jacqueline Kennedy.
In the 60's he produced tapered trousers, Capri pants, shorts, resort dresses, silk blouse and shirts, slacks and casual suits. He also designed ranges of underwear, sweaters and swimwear for US manufacturers. His clothes were known for their brilliant colours and well-defined prints. He led the way for the colourful revolution of the 60's.
Pucci's designs have reached strange places. The Apollo 15 space crew carried a Pucci-designed flag for planting on the moon. In 1977, he designed the Lincoln Continental Mark IV for the Ford Motor Company.
In the 70's, Pucci became a politician and was elected to the Italian parliament. He also began labeling and selling the wine produced on his estate in Chianti, owned by the Pucci family since the 13th century.
In 1989-1990 there was a sudden boom on Pucci prints again. Madonna, Paloma Picasso and many others were photographed wearing his garments.
In 1990 Emilio Pucci retired from active design work. On behalf of her father, his daughter received the Council of Fashion Designers of America Award in New York in 1991. The following year, the Costume Museum in the Palazzo Pitti in Forence displayed some of Pucci's most famous pieces.
He died in 1992 at the age of 78. His 30 year old son, the Marchese Alessandro Pucci di Barsento, took over the running of the family business and estates. However, sadly, Alessandro was killed in a car accident in 2000 near Florence, Italy. For a while his sister Laudomia handled the creative designing.
The house of Pucci still however goes on reviving the fashion house's glory days to make it relevant for a new generation. Capitalizing on Pucci's bold, instantly recognizable prints,
The clothes which Emilio Pucci designed over the years are valued immensely and vintage gowns are treasured. Many exhibitions are held and the picture below is of one major exhibition held in 1997 by the Kent State University, which was very well attended.
The Pucci revival has been gathering momentum for several years. The Pucci family began launching new products to appear to these new fans. Finally, the company was sold to luxury goods conglomerate LVMH who own Dior, Givenchy and many other houses.
In November 2000, LVMH president Arnault asked Puerto Rican designer Julio Espada to reconceive the Pucci clothing collection.Espada, in his Spring 2002 collection, showed plenty of pretty girly shorts, scarves and short crisp cotton dresses.
Espada left Pucci in April 2002.
Pucci collection of furniture has also been introduced.
Christian Lacroix
In mid 2002 famed French designer Christian Lacroix was named Artistic Director at Pucci. He is shown here on the right.
Spring/Summer 2003
Lacroix's first collection for Pucci was shown during Milan Fashion Week in September 2002. He gave us a good helping of Pucci psychedelic prints with a mixture of modern styling. Here is a dress from the Spring/Summer 2003 collection.
Fall/Winter 2003
Christian Lacroix presented the Pucci Fall collection during Milan fashion week in March 2003. An outfit from the show is on the right.
Lacroix transferred Pucci psychedelia into patchwork furs and huge multipastel fox hats. He had the audience smiling from end to end. He ran through a slew of dressy options in brightly coloured fabrics. A delicious absinthe-green patterned velvet minidress with a fluff of fox at the collar floating capelike over coloured opaque tights, was particularly beautiful.
Spring/Summer 2004
Lacroix's Spring/Summer collection for Pucci was shown during Milan Fashion Week in October 2003. Here on the left, is a dress from the Spring/Summer 2004 collection.
Pucci's collection is made for Summer, with it's wonderful colours and prints. Lacroix's swimwear was superb. His little chiffon or satin dresses with asymmetric hems, harem trousers, Zouave pants and half skirts were perfect for tying on over swimsuits. There were plenty of midsummer nigh dresses and the multicoloured Pucci dolly bags in soft silk were irrestible. He has raided the Pucci archives to make it relevant for today.
Fall/Winter 2004 ready-to-wear
Christian Lacroix presented the Pucci Fall collection in Milan during Fashion Week in February 2004. He presented tweeds and sweaters, herringbone coats and knickers with prints from late 60s/early 70s known as Moire. He mixed fox-furcollars, suede platform shoes and trilby hats but also added Pucci's signature prints.
Hello New York
Pucci is opening the doors of it's new Fifth Avenue flagship store in New York on September 7th 2004, and throwing a party which will be the highlight of New York Fashion Week.
Spring/Summer 2005
During Milan Fashion Week in September 2004, Christian Lacroix presented the Spring collection for the House of Pucci. A pretty dress from the collection is shown on the left with the traditional Pucci psychedelic print on it.
Silk jersey dresses were shown with tiny matching cardigans, and the famous silk scarves were used as ankle ties. He even showed a shocking pink ruffled dress without a pattern in sight, a picture of which appears on the right. Other dresses with white broderie anglaise with an applique of patterned motif gave a fresh open air spirit.
Autumn/Winter 2005
Christian Lacroix presented his Pucci Autumn/Winter collection during Milan Fashion Week in February 2005.
This was his 6th collection for the house, and he drew on the Florentine Renaissance for this inspiration this time. This isthe era of the aristocratic Pucci family heritage and he explored with imagination the beautiful clothes of the period.
Pucci's signature prints of course, appeared but Christian said "I wanted to show that Pucci can be more than just a rainbow of print".
He used black, which rarely appears at Pucci, in the opening dress with slanted pockets Knitwear edged in gold or dirndl skirts matched with soft blouses, fitted sweetly with Renaissance portrait braided hair styles.
Matthew Williamson
It has been announced that after Christian Lacroix completes his Spring/Summer 2006 collection for the house of Pucci, the design will be taken over by Matthew Williamson from the Autumn/Winter 2006 collection.
Spring/Summer 2006
Milan Fashion Week
Christian Lacroix presented his last Pucci Spring/Summer 2006 collection during Milan Fashion Week in September 2005. A navy blue top over signature Pucci printed pants from the collection is shown on the left.
Laudomia Pucci, daughter of the founder of the house, confirmed Lacroix's departure after this collection, but said that they were still on very good terms with Christian. His last collection went out on a high note, emphasizing the Mediterranean roots of Pucci. The show opened and closed with white dresses worn with jewelry from Ilias Lallounis, whose daughter was in the front row. Gladiator sandals, florty Grecian tunics and black dresses with silver embellishments, all enriched the Pucci look. A glam look was integrated with casual, easy to wear clothes. A cardigan mixed graphic black and white strips and Pucci prints. Striking swimsuits had a predominance of blue, sunset mauves and pinks. Fine jersey in juicy colours is Pucci's legacy.
click below:
Emilio Pucci (Universe of Fashion) by Mariuccia Casadio
Emilio Pucci by Katel le Bourhis
Pucci: A Renaissance in Fashion by Shirley Kennedy
Le Book New York 2004 Too: Art Direction, Magazines, Music, Advertising, fashion : Emilio Pucci
2005
Vivara (W)