Questions about the Florentine house Guccio Gucci founded in 1921, from Tom Ford’s 90s Gucci to Alessandro Michele and Demna, answered from Ayerhs’s Gucci reviews.
By Shreya S · Last reviewed 31 October 2026
On this page: The house and its founder · The designers · Codes and business · The Ayerhs view
The house and its founder
Who founded Gucci, and when?
Guccio Gucci opened a leather goods shop in Florence in 1921. He had worked at the Savoy Hotel in London, where the luggage of wealthy guests inspired him to make luxury travel goods in Italy. His sons expanded the business to Rome, Milan and New York after the Second World War.
What is the story behind House of Gucci?
The 2021 film tells the story of the family feuds that nearly destroyed the company in the 1980s and 90s, ending with the murder of Maurizio Gucci, the founder’s grandson, in Milan in 1995. His former wife, Patrizia Reggiani, was convicted of ordering the killing. By then the family had sold its stake, and Gucci was run by outside management.
The designers
Who has designed Gucci?
| Designer | Years | Defining idea |
|---|---|---|
| Tom Ford | 1994–2004 | Sex, velvet and jet-set minimalism |
| Frida Giannini | 2006–2014 | The archive and the Flora print |
| Alessandro Michele | 2015–2022 | Geek-chic maximalism |
| Sabato De Sarno | 2023–2025 | Pared-back Gucci and Ancora red |
| Demna | 2025– | “Gucciness” and high-voltage glamour |
What did Tom Ford do for Gucci?
He rescued it. Ford joined in 1990 and became creative director in 1994, when Gucci was close to bankruptcy. His Fall 1995 collection, with velvet hipsters, satin shirts and fur, made Gucci the sexiest label of the decade. He left in 2004 after Gucci’s takeover by PPR, now Kering.
Read on Ayerhs: Gucci’s Resurrection: Fall 1995 · Tom Ford’s Tribute: Fall 2004 · Tom Ford – The complete guide
What did Alessandro Michele do at Gucci?
Michele, a longtime accessories designer at the house, was promoted in 2015 and changed the look of fashion for the next seven years: vintage-shop maximalism, pussy-bow blouses, nerdy glasses, embroidered snakes and bees, and gender-fluid casting. His debut, Fall 2015, was an instant turning point. He left in 2022 and now designs Valentino.
Read on Ayerhs: New Romantics: Gucci Fall 2015 · Valentino in The Library
Who designs Gucci now?
Demna, the Georgian designer who led Balenciaga for ten years, was named Gucci’s artistic director in March 2025 and started that July, replacing Sabato De Sarno. His first Gucci, Spring 2026, was a study in “Gucciness”; Fall 2026 pushed towards high-voltage sex appeal; Cruise 2027 asked whether Gucci is finally back.
Read on Ayerhs: Gucci Spring 2026 · Gucci Fall 2026 · Gucci Cruise 2027
Codes and business
What are Gucci’s signature codes?
- Bamboo handle: first used on bags in 1947, when leather was scarce after the war.
- Horsebit: the equestrian hardware on the 1953 loafer.
- The web stripe: green-red-green, borrowed from saddle girths.
- The GG monogram on canvas.
- Flora: the floral print created for Grace Kelly in 1966.
Read on Ayerhs: Why People Pay More for Designer Logos
Who owns Gucci?
Kering, the French luxury group founded by François Pinault, which took control in the early 2000s. Gucci is Kering’s largest brand; the group also owns Saint Laurent, Balenciaga and McQueen.
Read on Ayerhs: The Rise of Fashion Conglomerates
The Ayerhs view
Is Gucci back?
It is getting there. After a sales slump and a short De Sarno era, Demna has given Gucci a clear point of view again, rooted in the house’s own glamour. Fall 2026 and Cruise 2027 were the first Gucci shows in years that felt like they mattered; whether that lasts is the question for 2027.