Patrizia Yvonne Gucci is an Italian painter, author, and fashion designer. She is the great-granddaughter of Guccio Gucci, the founder of the fashion house Gucci, and the daughter of Paolo Gucci,[1] who was the chief designer for the family company. She herself worked in the public relations department of the family company for 12 years, until 1994.[2]

Gucci is the author of several books,[2][3] previously had her own accessories brand for the Japanese market,[4] and has held various international exhibitions for her paintings, including at the Opera Gallery in Budapest.[5] She has also decorated the presidential suite at the Four Seasons in Istanbul.[6]

Early life and education

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Gucci grew up in Florence with her parents Paolo and Yvonne and her elder sister Elisabetta.[7] She was heavily influenced by her family's fashion business during her upbringing and worked extra in the Gucci Florence store.[8]

Her father Paolo was chief designer of Gucci. He is credited with developing Gucci's "double G" logo.[9] She described her early years as being shaped by the Gucci brand, which inspired her creative pursuits.[8]

After finishing high school, she studied archaeology at the University of Siena.[8]

Career

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Gucci began her career in the early 1980s as the international public relations representative for the Gucci family business. In this role, she opened 13 Gucci shops globally, also worked as a designer, and organized conferences. She left the company in 1994 after 12 years.[8]

During the early 2000s, she began to dedicate herself to painting and had her first exhibition in Bahrain, her second in Florence at Palazzo Antinori, then in Vienna 2004, Budapest 2009, followed by other exhibitions.[10] She describes her style as “blending abstraction with reality, creating serene depictions of Tuscany landscapes".[8]

Gucci has written several books, including Il piccolo libro della Semplicità, Single: Il fascino della donna libera, Charme, and Gucci: La vera storia di una dinastia di successo. The latter recounts the Gucci company's story, from her own perspective, and has been translated into multiple languages.[11]

In 2019, she received an art award in memory of the Italian judges Paolo Borsellino and Giovanni Falcone, for her interpretation of The Knotted Gun.[12]

She has featured on Serena Bortone's talk show at Rai 1.[13]

House of Gucci conflict

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Patrizia Gucci has been vocal in her criticism of the movie House of Gucci, released in 2021, depicting her family history and the murder of Maurizio Gucci, her father’s cousin.[14] She accused the director Ridley Scott of exploiting a family tragedy.[15] Many years before its realization, Patrizia and other members of the family had met Scott over dinner to talk about the movie project. She told the news agency AP ahead of the film release:

“We are truly disappointed. I speak on behalf of the family. They are stealing the identity of a family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system…Our family has an identity, privacy. We can talk about everything, but there is a borderline that cannot be crossed.”[11]

Personal life

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Gucci resides in her native Florence. She remains an active member and ambassador of the Foundation Non-Violence Art Project.[16]

References

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  1. ^ Allen, Nick (2021-12-01). "All the Fistfights, Heartbreaks, and Madness House of Gucci Left Out". Vulture. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  2. ^ a b Editorial Staff (May 3, 2007). "An interview with Patrizia Gucci". The Florentine. Retrieved Oct 8, 2023.
  3. ^ "9788820040680 Gucci Patrizia 2006 - Charme. Diario di una Seduttrice (Quasi) Irresistibile - LibroCo.it". www.libroco.it. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  4. ^ "Gucci: la vera storia di una dinastia di successo". www.nove.firenze.it (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  5. ^ Severin, Constantin (2009-12-16). "Estheticum, Budapest, 30 April-3 May 2010". The Alchemical City. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  6. ^ "Patrizia Gucci redesigns knotted gun to promote non-violence". Italian Insider. Retrieved October 8, 2023.
  7. ^ Gay Forden, Sara (2008). La saga dei Gucci. Garzanti. p. 57.
  8. ^ a b c d e Gucci, Patrizia (2021-11-08). Gucci: A successful dynasty as recounted by a real Gucci. Ali Ribelli Edizioni. ISBN 978-88-3346-907-2.
  9. ^ Elan, Priya (2021-04-15). "'Short, fat, ugly': Gucci family lashes out at cast appearance in new film". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  10. ^ "Patrizia GUCCI for MARILYN". Dream Hosiery. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  11. ^ a b "Gucci heirs worry over family depiction in Ridley Scott film". AP News. 2021-04-15. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  12. ^ Antonini, Laura (2019-01-03). "Un premio speciale per Patrizia Gucci". Corriere Fiorentino (in Italian). Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  13. ^ "RAI's official YouTube channel". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  14. ^ Friedman, Vanessa (2021-11-30). "The Guccis Are Really Not Happy About 'House of Gucci'". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  15. ^ "THE GUCCI RETRIAL". British Vogue. 2004-07-06. Retrieved 2023-10-08.
  16. ^ Commisso, Erica (2018-11-08). "Can These Celebrity-Designed Pistols Make a Dent in America's Gun Problem?". Bedford + Bowery. Retrieved 2023-10-08.