Gucci Black Leather Nymphea Bag
View Similar Items
Gucci Black Leather Nymphea Bag
About the Item
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.
- Louis Vuitton Limited Edition Monogram Etoile Exotique Tote GM BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITA rich blend of exquisite textures makes this Monogram Etoile Exotique Tote GM truly luxurious. Fine craftsmanship has created this stunning tote with ...Category
2010s French Top Handle Bags
- Louis Vuitton Surya GM Brown Leather Top Handle BagBy Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITLouis Vuitton signed bag, Surya model, size GM, made in brown leather, with perforated monogram and golden hardware. Equipped with a central interlocking closure. Equipped with a dou...Category
2010s Hobo Bags
- Louis Vuitton Montaigne Vintage Bag Black Epi LeatherBy Louis VuittonLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITLouis Vuitton signed bag, Montaigne model, made of epi canvas in black patent leather and silver hardware. Equipped with double leather handle to wear the handbag. Internally lined i...Category
2010s Top Handle Bags
- 2011 Chanel GST Grand Shopping Tote Black CaviarBy ChanelLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITChanel signed bag, GST model, made of black caviar leather with silver hardware. It is not equipped with any type of closure, but has a central pocket with zip closure. Equipped wi...Category
2010s Structured Shoulder Bags
- Chanel Cube Vintage Patent Leather Borsa a TracollaBy ChanelLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITChanel signed bag, vintage model, year of production 94/96, made in black patent leather with gold hardware. This iconic model ...Category
1990s Structured Shoulder Bags
- Hermès Kelly Bag 32 Clemence Leather Blue Izmir Top Handle BagBy HermèsLocated in Torre Del Greco, ITBag by Hermès, Kelly model, size 32, made in Clemence leather, soft and textured to the touch, in the Blue Izmir colorway, with silver hardware. Equipped with the classic flap with i...Category
Early 2000s French Top Handle Bags
- S/S 1995 Gucci by Tom Ford Debut Black Crocodile Bamboo Top Handle Frame BagBy Gucci, Tom Ford for GucciLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting No one knows how to sell sexy better than designer Tom Ford. As part of his debut collection at Gucci, this bag embodies his dedication to eleva...Category
1990s Italian Top Handle Bags
- EMILIO PUCCI c.1960’s Floral Signature Print Multi-Color Velvet Leather HandbagBy Emilio PucciLocated in Thiensville, WIEMILIO PUCCI c.1960’s Floral Signature Print Multi-Color Velvet Leather Handbag Circa: 1960’s Label(s): Emilio Pucci by Jana Style: Handbag Color(s): ...Category
1960s Italian Top Handle Bags
- Judith Leiber Brown Leather Compartment Bag with Coin Purse, 1980sBy Judith LeiberLocated in Tucson, AZLike Bonnie Cashin’s revolutionary “Cashin Carry” bags of the 1960s, this ingenious purse seems to defy physics with the amount of room it offers. Essentially a series of expandable accordion files with multiple pockets and kiss locks to keep contents secure, it eliminates the need for a wallet. Moreover, the heavyweight gold chain handle looks like a piece of fine jewelry and is long enough to be worn on the shoulder. Chocolate brown shoulder bag...Category
1980s American Structured Shoulder Bags
- MCM Black Signature Monogram with Embossed Forest Green Ostrich Shoulder BagBy MCM MunchenLocated in New York, NYMCM wonderfully detailed black signature monogram shoulder bag accented with embossed forest green ostrich on the corners, top flap, side panels, tabs, and as well on the gild...Category
2010s Italian Shoulder Bags
- Celine Trapeze Medium Tri-Color Suede and Leather HandbagBy CelineLocated in Boca Raton, FLCompany-Celine Model-Trapeze Medium Color-Tri Color White Black and Orange Date Code-S-AT-4184 S-CU-5104 Material-Leather and Suede Measurements-11.75" L x 7"W x 8.25" H Strap-14....Category
2010s Italian Structured Shoulder Bags
- Brown Matte Alligator Top Handle Hourglass Purse with Comb and Mirror, 1950sLocated in Tucson, AZA ladylike staple accessory and a sign of good breeding, an alligator top handle bag remains as relevant today as it was a half-century ago. Pairs as effortlessly with denim and a trench as it does with a cocktail dress. This one has the very modern added benefit of being large enough to hold a 12-oz bottle of water too! Vintage alligator handbag with self-covered top frame and single top handle; interior zippered side pocket with open pocket beneath containing mirror and faux tortoise comb...Category
1950s American Top Handle 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.