Guccio Gucci established the Gucci fashion house in Florence in 1921.
Guccio Gucci had worked in hotels in London and Paris, where he observed the luggage and travel accessories used by wealthy guests. After returning to Florence, he opened a shop specializing in leather goods and equestrian equipment. The business gradually expanded from travel items into handbags, shoes, clothing, and accessories.
The company became especially associated with Italian craftsmanship and distinctive motifs, including the interlocking GG monogram and the green-red-green stripe. Several members of the Gucci family helped develop the firm during the twentieth century, although later ownership and management moved beyond the family.
Gucci is sometimes confused with Prada or Fendi because all three are major Italian luxury names. Gucci’s origin, however, is specifically Florence in 1921, while Prada began in Milan in 1913 and Fendi was founded in Rome in 1925.