Gucci Ophidia Patent Leather-Trimmed Suede Shoulder Bag
View Similar Items
Gucci Ophidia Patent Leather-Trimmed Suede Shoulder Bag
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:London, GB
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU73639838812
Gucci
Long before trend-bucking creative director Alessandro Michele brought his hallucinatory “Utopian Fantasy” campaign to Gucci, it was a modest Italian leather shop. Today, it’s an internationally renowned luxury house with an iconic logo, and vintage Gucci clothing, handbags and shoes are among high fashion's most covetable goods.
Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) admired the stylish suitcases he saw wealthy guests arrive with at the Savoy Hotel in London, where he worked as a bellhop. So, in 1921, after a stint at Franzi, a luggage company in his hometown of Florence, he opened a leather goods shop of his own.
At first, Gucci’s Florence business specialized in equestrian accessories. But as its reputation flourished, particularly among the English aristocracy, so too did its footprint. In 1938, he brought three of his sons — Aldo, Vasco and Rodolfo — into the business and expanded it to Rome and later Milan. In the mid-1930s, a League of Nations embargo against Italy pushed Gucci to experiment with alternatives to imported leather. Its woven hemp fabric from Naples, adorned with the brand’s signature diamond print, was a hit, especially among A-list celebrities. The material was first used on suitcases before finding enduring popularity on handbags. (No list of revered designer purses would be complete without Gucci.)
In the 1950s, Elizabeth Taylor carried one of Gucci’s bamboo-handled tote bags, another adaptation to material rationing. After Jackie Kennedy was seen sporting a slouchy Gucci tote in 1961, it was renamed for the First Lady. Then Grace Kelly, on a visit to the boutique in Milan, inspired Rodolfo Gucci to work with Italian illustrator and Gucci textile designer Vittorio Accornero on the Flora print in 1966. Taking cues from Sandro Botticelli’s Primavera, with its pattern of flora and insects, it was painted entirely by hand and featured no fewer than 37 colors.
In 1953, just 15 days after opening his first store on New York’s 5th Avenue, Guccio passed away at 72. The early 1970s saw store openings in Tokyo and Hong Kong, but by the late 1980s, Gucci was floundering. Rodolfo Gucci took charge in 1982, but family drama and lawsuits ensued. In 1993, Rodolfo’s son, Maurizio, transferred his shares in the company to Investcorp, ending the family’s involvement in Gucci. Dawn Mello, then-president of Bergdorf Goodman, joined as creative director in 1989. But it was Tom Ford, who took over as creative director in 1994, who ultimately revived the brand.
Ford’s racy ads, shot by photographers such as Mario Testino, stirred controversy. And his potent vision of sexed-up femininity — with “jewel-toned satin shirts unbuttoned to there,” as Vogue described his breakthrough 1995 runway show — was wildly successful. The new millennium brought new ownership — Pinault Printemps Redoute in 2004 — and a more toned-down vision from Frida Giannini, who became sole creative director in 2006. Alessandro Michele was named creative director in 2015, and the storied brand took a giant leap forward.
Find vintage Gucci clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- Valentino Garavani T.B.C. Braided Fringe Shoulder BagBy ValentinoLocated in London, GBValentino Garavani pebbled leather shoulder bag with braided fringe trim. Flap top with double snaps. Interior leather lining. One zip pocket. Black leather. Made in Italy. Does not...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Prada Re-Nylon Leather And Nylon Belt BagBy PradaLocated in London, GB
- Prada Re-Nylon Leather And Nylon Belt Bag.
- Black.
- Zip fastening - Front.
- Does not come with - dustbag or box.
- Model: Re-Nylon.Category
21st Century and Contemporary Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
Chanel 2016 Double Carry Waist Chain Irisdescent Quilted Leather Crossbody BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GBChanel 2016 Double Carry Waist Chain Flap Small Irisdescent Quilted Leather Crossbody Bag. Green and purple. Twist lock fastening - Front. Comes with - authenticity card and dustbag....Category21st Century and Contemporary Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
Fendi 1974 Double F Logo Print Shearling Shoulder BagBy FendiLocated in London, GBThis stunning '1974 Double F' shoulder bag by Fendi bag has been made in Italy from plush shearling fur and printed with the iconic logo, the bag has two-sides, one light-pink and th...Category21st Century and Contemporary Shoulder Bags
Hermès 2020 Evelyne Tmp Clemence Leather Shoulder BagBy HermèsLocated in London, GBHermès 2020 Evelyne Tmp Clemence Leather Shoulder Bag. Black. Snap button fastening - Front. Comes with - dustbag. Height: 7.1 In. Width: 6.7 In. Depth: 2....Category21st Century and Contemporary Shoulder Bags
Chanel 2010 Maxi Classic Quilted Patent Leather Single Flap Shoulder BagBy ChanelLocated in London, GB- Chanel 2010 Maxi Classic quilted patent leather single flap shoulder bag.
- Made from dark-purple quilted patent-leather with matching purple leather interior and sil...
Category21st Century and Contemporary Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel So Black Calfskin Leather Quilted 2.55 Reissue 226 Classic Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in New York, NYChanel So Black Calfskin Quilted Large 2.55 Reissue 226 Double Flap Bag Made In: Italy Year of Production: 2018 Color: Black Hardware: Black Materials: Aged calfskin Lining: Burgund...Category
21st Century and Contemporary Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Vintage Red & Black Layered CC Minaudière Bag ClutchBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Vintage Red & Black Layered CC Shoulder Bag circa 2009 black/red leather gold-tone hardware signature interlocking CC logo stud embellishment foldover top leather and chain bracelet...Category
Early 2000s Italian Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Moschino Midnight Black Lambskin Suede with Tassels Accent Shoulder BagBy MoschinoLocated in New York, NYMoschino wonderful detailed buttery soft lambskin suede in midnight black is accented with multi tassels as well as gold hardware along the tassels and also on the four footin...Category
1990s Italian Shoulder Bags
$785 Sale Price53% Off - Carlos Falchi Midnight Blue Textured Buffalo Leather Cross-Body Shoulder BagLocated in New York, NYCarlos Falchi textured buffalo skin shoulder bag in midnight blue is detailed with interior drawstring to adjust the shoulder straps if desired. The interior has two separate compart...Category
1980s Unknown Crossbody Bags and Messenger Bags
- Chanel Limited Edition Distressed Calfskin Classic Double Flap BagBy ChanelLocated in Miami, FLChanel Calfskin Distressed Classic Limited Edition Double Flap Bag 2006 {VINTAGE 16 Years} Distressed quilted calfskin leather Double layer flap closure Silver hardware Classic int...Category
Early 2000s French Structured Shoulder Bags
- Carlos Falchi Textured Calfskin Zippered Patchwork "Jungle" Scene Shoulder BagBy Carlos FalchiLocated in New York, NYCarlos Falchi wonderfully detailed textured calfskin shoulder bag has a zippered top. The patchwork "Jungle" scene consists of a metallic bronze "moon", leopard print pony, py...Category
1980s Spanish Shoulder Bags
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
Explore a Century of Gucci Fashion in London
The iconic Italian label’s traveling exhibition has just arrived in London.
The Stories behind the Most Famous Luxury Fashion Logos
From Chanel to YSL, the logos of some legacy fashion houses spark instant brand recognition and have come to symbolize a kind of luxury that feels at once aspirational and attainable.