Also indicative of Gucci: red and green ribbon stripe down the center, originally from a saddle girth. The web of G’s on jacquard fabric and, briefly, printed onto leather to discourage counterfeiters.

Most Famous Handbag: The Jackie bag, named after former First Lady Jackie Kennedy (Onassis).

Founder: Born in 1881, Guccio Gucci founded the House of Gucci as a family saddlery shop in Florence, Italy in 1906. He developed a taste for beauty during his time and exposure in London’s Savoy Hotel as a lift attendant. He hired the finest craftsmen, and by 1938, opened a store in Rome.

Guccio died in 1953, but his sons took over the company, building on Guccio’s success. The company gained an international standing, as boutiques were opened in London, Paris and New York. Towards the end of the 1960’s, boutiques were opened in Hong Kong and Tokyo. This is when the famouse interlocking GG logo was developed — in honor of Guccio. The Gucci family had fiery personalities, arguing with each other during meetings. These quarrels, combined with poor business decisions, took the company close to bankcruptcy in the late 1970s. The introduction of the Gucci Accessories Collection, introduced in 1979, included makeup bags, lighters and pens. It was initially well received, but because it made the Gucci name more accessible to ordinary people, the brand lost its exclusive appeal. It was further damaged by cheap fakes and replicas that further damaged the exclusivity of the brand. The family was ultimately incapable of turning the company around and in 1993 Investcorp, a holding company, bought them out. The company ultimately recovered with a new helm and a new designer, Tom Ford (shown at right). In 1995, the company was bolstered by Ford’s new collection and its adoption by superstars including Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow. In this same year, Gucci became a publicly traded company.

Current Designer: After Tom Ford’s departure, Frida Giannini is Creative Director of the brand.

Company Control/Exclusivity: The House Gucci belongs to the French comglomerate company Pinault-Printemps-Redoute (PPR), the most serious rival to LVMH. (EuroNext symbol: PP)

Website: http://www.gucci.com/