Gucci is one of the most prestigious, iconic and well known fashion and luxury houses in the world, matched by its equally big history and tales. The tragic tale of Gucci family is probably the most dramatic chapter in fashion history ever and the revive of the house by Tom Ford in the 90s is the most recognizable success case many other houses such as Balenciaga and Balmain wish to replicate.

When Tom Ford stepped down from his post as the Creative Director of Gucci in 2004, Gucci put three people in his place: John Ray for mens’ wear, Alessandra Facchinetti for women’s wear and Frida Giannini for Accessories. Ultimately, only Giannini survived and elevated to Creative Director in 2005. Stepping into Tom Ford’s huge shoes is no easy but Giannini did it Italian way. Gucci underwent a big image transformation from a sexed up girl to an alluring woman. There were initially doubts on whether Gucci could survive the transformation but when the sales at Gucci reached a new height, critics had finally gave in.

The 37-year old, Rome Born might be one of the most important force in fashion industry today but her life and love for limelight is the complete opposite of her predecessor, Tom Ford or some other Italian biggest names like Donatella Versace or Dolce and Gabbana. If at one point of time during Ford’s reign in Gucci we had ever wondered whether the brand itself (Gucci) or the designer (Ford) was bigger, Frida was rarely credited for her work for Gucci yet maybe it is not a bad thing afterall. Under Giannini’s direction, Gucci has arrived into the 21st century stronger than ever. She is among the new breed of designers such as Phoebe Philo (who made Chloé cool again, now the new Creative Director for Celine) and Christopher Bailey (Burberry) who champion a lighter luxury and free fashion from attachments from its designers. Yet Giannini’s works are often very personal interpretation of Gucci’s heritage, keeping the brand’s values intact and continuous.