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Brand History :Prince Of Prints: The History Of Emilio Pucci - Born in 1914 to one of Florence's oldest families, Emilio Pucci, the Marquis of Barsento, became a
fashion phenomenon in the 1950s with a trailblazing vision that continues to reverberate today.Although he relinquished a private life of aristocratic leisure, the Marquis was nonetheless
crowned 'The Prince of Prints' by the international fashion press who were smitten by his bold, new designs and radical approach to fashion at the time. A major influence in contemporary fashion, Pucci's legacy continues
to be a major force behind the birth of the 'Made in Italy' style and a milestone in Italy's sportswear concept.
HOW IT BEGAN - An avid skier and athlete, who traveled between his family's regal palazzo in Florence, the mountains of Switzerland and the glamorous resort island of Capri, Emilio Pucci naturally embodied
the post-war, jet set glamor which captivated a new generation of modern, active women. His fashion career began unexpectedly in 1947 when he created a streamlined ski outfit, which was revolutionary with i
ts sleek, tapered trousers and hooded parka, and was photographed on the slopes of Switzerland for Harper's Bazaar. He then opened a boutique on Capri dedicated to simple, yet beautiful resort clothing that
embodied the island's natural beauty and refreshingly bright colours. The novel concept of designer ready-to-wear was a hit with the island's sophisticated clientele who had instant access to wearable yet chic
clothing. Later, his designs were prized by world-renown female icons, including Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy, and Gloria Guinness, as well as Madonna, and Nicole Kidman.
JACKIE KENNEDY - THE REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN - Prior to Pucci's arrival on the design scene, women were constricted by rigid, structured clothing that utilized heavy padding, corsets, and petticoats to
unnaturally confine the body. Contrary to his design contemporaries, Pucci was driven by the desire to liberate women, granting them unprecedented freedom and movement. His simply designed dresses, pants
and tops featured free-flowing lines that followed the natural curves of the body. Pucci designs had the allure of couture, but were shed of all the impractical weight, volume, layering and, most importantly,
cost of haute couture creations. Additionally, Pucci offered a total vision that ranged from dresses and underwear to linens, handbags, perfumes, and rugs, and gave an expanded group of consumers access to
designer goods for the first time.
FALL 2017 - A BRILLIANT COLORIST - Inspired by exotic cultures and by the natural landscapes of the Mediterranean, Pucci brought luscious, bright color to his designs in an unparalleled way. A sophisticated
fusion of colour, lemon yellows, bougainvillea pinks, frosted lilacs, azure blue, and almond green became the hallmark of Pucci design. The effect was glorious, joyful, and perfectly captured the new mood in fashion.
Instantly recognisable, Pucci's color combinations exude energy and emotion and allow the designs of the clothes themselves to remain relatively simple.
A KALEIDOSCOPE OF PRINTS - In the 1950s Pucci began developing his signature prints, graphic, abstract designs, which swirled in a kaleidoscope of colour. The organic forms pulsing with geometric patterns mimicked
contemporary art forms, but were inspired by the world around him, which included Sicilian mosaics, the heraldic banners of Siena's Palio horse race, Bali Batiks, and African motifs. It was the first time that such optical
illusions had been incorporated into clothing and the effect was highly original, not to mention extensively copied in the years to come. Each print carries the designer's name 'Emilio', in tiny hand-written form, marking the
debut of a designer's name as an external logo.
UNPRECEDENTED FABRICS - Working closely with expert fabric manufacturers in Italy, Pucci revolutionized the clothing sector by pioneering free-moving, stretch fabrics. Eschewing the heavy, rigid fabrications that
were still largely in circulation in the 1950s, he developed and patented several original fabrics such as silk stretch jersey and cotton jersey. Both fabrications, the result of intensive technical research, allowed Pucci
garments to be weightless, unlined, and wrinkle-proof, the precursors for a modern, travel-friendly wardrobe.
CONQUERING AMERICA - Working out of his grand palazzo, the designer began showing his collections to the international press and buyers in Florence in 1951. He became an instant hit with American retailers such as
Saks Fifth Avenue and neiman Marcus who were enthralled by the explosive color and the wearability of his simple designs. The effortless, elegant clothing, which took women from day to evening and from jets to seaside
cocktail parties, perfectly captured America's new sportswear sensibility and complemented the glamor of the high-rolling, jet set crowd. Throughout the 1960s and 70s, the brand rose to popularity amongst the country's
wealthiest and most stylish women.
SPECIAL PROJECTS - Pucci used his design talent in a variety of non-fashion projects. These include creating futuristic uniforms for Braniff International Airlines flight attendants, the logo for the Apollo 15 space mission,
porcelain tableware for Rosenthal, Spring Mills bath towels, the 'Piume' print for Qantas airlines, and the interior of a Ford Lincoln Continental Mark IV, as well as Cappellini furniture projects and a 300-foot hand-painted sail
for Wally Yachts. The more recent projects include the Illy Art Collection as well as the Pucci book published by Taschen.
RESORT 2018 - TODAY - In the 1990s, Pucci prints experienced a surge in popularity, and as the world's fascination with the brand rekindled, Emilio's daughter, Laudomia Pucci, began to take over her father's business. In April 2000,
an alliance was formed between the Pucci family and LVMH, with the French luxury group acquiring 67% of the company. In a short time the company has built a global store network, and soared once again on the international fashion stage.
Born in Naples to an aristocratic family, Emilio Pucci was an active teenager interested in SPORTS and education. Studying in Italy and the USA, Pucci studied agriculture, political science and social science. The latter from Reed College
in Oregon, Pucci received a skiing scholarship. After his education Pucci joined the Italian Air Force , serving as a torpedo bomber pilot during World War II. While studying at Reed, Pucci designed uniforms for the college ski
team. With experience in designing ski wear, Pucci later designed his own ski outfit and followed on to create a ski suit for a female friend.
The outfit was photographed and made its way into Harper Bazaar. Through the publicity gained, Pucci was asked to design for the magazine who was releasing an article of European winter fashion in 1948. Pucci's use of stretch fabrics
and his sleek designs caused immediate success for him with several American manufacturers offering to produce his designs. Declining, Pucci instead left the Air Force and set up his own couture fashion house in his family home, a
Renaissance-era Palazzo in the middle of Florence.Initially producing a swimwear line in 1949, Pucci decided to started to move into other products with brightly coloured, boldly patterned designs. Under the influence of STANLEY Marcus
from neiman Marcus, Pucci produced blouses and silk dresses with his bold patterns on.In 1950 Pucci opened a boutique in Capri. His feminine and free flowing shapes with exuberant colors and precious fabrics reflected the jet-set
crowds' glamour. During the early fifties Pucci received the neiman Marcus Award in Dallas and the Burdine's Sunshine Award in Miami. Pucci's designed were worn by fashion icons including Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy and Marilyn
Monroe who was buried in one of his dresses. After Emilio Pucci's death, his daughter Laudomia took the reins of the business. During the nineties the label enjoyed a renaissance with the iconic vivid patterns appearing on Lycra leggings.
In 2000, LVMH acquired 67% of the company, however Laudomia continued on as Image Director and Deputy Chairman of the Brand. In 2008 the company appointed Norwegian designer Peter Oundas as Creative Director. With the
company expanding still, Pucci now has offices in North America, Japan and Hong Kong but is still run from its original headquarters in Florence.