Fashion Influential #69: Emilio Pucci
EMILIO PUCCI
Born:
November 20, 1914, Florence, Italy
Died:
November 29, 1992, Florence, Italy
Studied:
University of MIlan, University of Georgia (agriculture), Reed College (social science), University of Florence (political science)
Fans:
Sophia Loren, Jacqueline Kennedy, Marilyn Monroe
Beginnings.
Emilio Pucci was a true Renaissance man. Born into Florentine nobility, Pucci studied at four different universities and served as a fighter pilot in the Italian Air Force before he embarked on his fashion career. His first designs were uniforms for the Reed College ski team, of which he was a member, but his fashion career really took off in 1948, when a photograph of a ski outfit he had designed for a friend was featured in an issue of Harper's Bazaar.
Career Highs.
The Italian fashion industry was devastated in the wake of World War II, creating an atmosphere that welcomed Pucci's sleek, airy, lighthearted designs, many of them inspired by the colors of Capri. Pucci's brightly patterned silks became an international sensation in the 1950s and 1960s, when fashion icons like Jacqueline Kennedy were often spotted in his kaleidoscopic designs.
We are very small business with everything handpainted. Our shapes are simple. We hope the Pucci customer will be intelligent enough to tell the difference. We think quality and history mean something, and we have 30 years of history.
- Emilio Pucci's daughter, Laudomia, in 1990
Pucci designed seven complete outfits for Braniff Airlines attendants.Career Lows.
By the 1970s, Pucci's designs had fallen out of vogue. His company's popularity continued to waver until 1991, when designers like Gianni Versace and Franco Moschino showed collections strongly influenced by Pucci's classic designs. The brand continued to sell well even after Pucci's death in 1992; in 2000 the brand was acquired by fashion conglomerate LVMH.
Legacy.
Pucci not only changed the color spectrum of high-end fashion, he also made ample use of stretchy fabrics that had previously been relegated to swim and ski wear. He moved away from the heavily tailored looks of the 1940s and into the realm of comfortable, wearable separates.
Pucci with a model in the 1960s.Get the Look.
Vintage Pucci items can sell for thousands of dollars (just check ebay!), but there are plenty of affordable Pucci accessories that can add a bit of '60s flair to your look. Pair a Pucci scarf with a simple outfit, or splurge on a pair of kaleidoscopic rain boots (on sale online for as low as $87).
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