In 1921, Guccio Gucci opened a leather goods company and small luggage store in his native FloreIn 1921, Guccio Gucci opened a leather goods company and small luggage store in his native Florence.
Within a few years, the label enjoyed such success the sophisticated international clientele on vacation in Florence thronged to Gucci’s bottega, seeking the equestrian-inspired collection of bags, trunks, gloves, shoes and belts.
In 1981 Gucci staged its first ever runway show in Florence and in 1982, Gucci became a public limited company, and leadership passed to Rodolfo's son.
Made in Italy
FRIDA GIANNINI
Creative Director of Gucci Frida Giannini’s unique talent and modern vision have
fueled her rise as the leading creative force behind one of
the world’s most celebrated fashion houses. Frida
Giannini, formerly Creative Director of accessories, is
appointed sole Creative Director in 2006. Exploring Gucci’s rich
heritage and its incomparable craftsmanship capabilities,
Giannini has created a unique vision for Gucci that fuses past and present; history and modernity. Key house icons are
reinvented in a fresh new guise, including Flora, La Pelle Guccissima, the New Jackie, and the New Bamboo, as the
house’s tradition for innovation accelerates under Giannini.
Her broadening profile has allowed for increased social responsibility as well. She is deeply dedicated to and instrumental in Gucci’s continued partnership with UNICEF, and in February 2011, the US Fund for UNICEF recognized her with the inaugural Woman of Compassion award. In addition, Giannini is also on the Board of Directors of PPR’s Foundation for Women’s Dignity and Rights, an organization which fights violenceagainstwomen and promotes their empowerment.
Bag It
30 AUGUST 2012
Now into its seventh year of partnership with UNICEF, Gucci
is launching a special edition of its Gucci for UNICEF Boston
bag. Designed by the Italian label's creative director, Frida
Giannini, the bag has been created in luxurious micro
Guccisma leather in a soft shade of alabaster. You can, of
course, also spot the iconic interlocking GG, making it a
smart and practical investment - not to mention worthy.
A 25 per cent cut of the retail price of each bag will benefit
UNICEF's Schools for Africa and Schools for Asia initiatives
which work towards providing children with access to a
quality basic education. Over the last two years, the bags
have generated more than 2 million US dollars for UNICEF.
School for Africa is a joint effort by UNISEF the Nelson
Mandela foundation and the Homburg society to promote
education to all orphan children in Africa effected by
HIV/AIDS and children living in extreme poverty.2
"For most children in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia,
education represents the only way out of a life of entrenched poverty. We are grateful to Gucci for their ongoing
commitment to UNICEF and their support in building a brighter future for these children," says Leila Pakkala, Director
of UNICEF's Private Fundraising and Partnerships Division.
What Is Social Responsibility?
"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” – Winston Churchill.
Being socially responsible means that people and associations must behave decently and with compassion toward
social, economic, cultural, and environmental problems. Attempting for social responsibility helps beings,
governments and organizations have a positive impression on development, business and society with a positive
involvement to bottom-line results.
External and Internal Responsibility
Gucci Participates With Couple of Organizations Including:
-
Trade unions
-
Universities
-
Greenpeace
-
Human society
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Non governmental organization
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Association and foundation
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Government
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Clean clothes campaign
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Anti vivisection organization
Gucci has regularly supported healthcare, education, protection and clean water programs for children affected by
HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa. Since the partnership started, Gucci has committed around $9 million to UNICEF, and
this results make Gucci the largest corporate donor to UNICEF's "Schools for Africa" initiative. "Schools for Africa" is a campaign established in 2004 by UNICEF, the Nelson Mandela Foundation, and the Hamburg Society. The initiative
aims to increase access to quality basic schooling for all with a special emphasis on helping the most disadvantaged,
including children orphaned by HIV/AIDS and children living in a very high poverty.
In 2009 Gucci signed an agreement with Trade Unions and industry associations to create the "Permanent Joint
Committee for the policies of the supply chain.”
As evidenced, Gucci has done a lot of ethical activities to prove that their brand is not just a luxury fashion brand that
makes money by selling bags over 2 thousand dollars, but on the other hand, this doesn’t mean that they are not
making any profit out of their social activities.
First I will to go through some points and benefits of their internal activities.
Every employee wants to work in the company that gives them better deals in terms of salaries, free activities, good
training etc. So if Gucci wants the most efficient and effective employees then they should give them a service that is
satisfying so that they can work better and give the company their best service.
With the Global Financial Crisis (GFC) over the recent years I think it’s been really hard to for all businesses to trade
and in particular luxury brands. This is because first of all people had a decreased disposable income to spend money
on fashion and secondly it was the moral sense, as a lot of people didn’t feel good to spend money to buy a bag when
thousands and thousands of people around the world had lost their job, house or even worse were suffering from lack
of food, water or no place to sleep.
But this fact didn’t stop people completely from shopping for life’s luxuries! But who would they chose to buy from?
It is obvious that in this situation if you are going to choose between LV and Gucci you go with the one that has at
least got some benefits to the society or the environment. This is exactly what Gucci have done to make people to
choose them over some other luxury brands.
In 2009, the end of the GFC, the world’s third largest luxury group ‘GUCCI GROUP’ experienced a o.8% increase to
bring in a turnover of EUR 3,39 billion. The only loss-making brand of the group remains YVES SAINT LAURENT, with losses of EUR 10 million. GUCCI, the group’s flagship brand closed 2009 with a 2.7 % increase, to a turnover of EUR
2,27 billion.
All emerging markets have performed a 20% increase for GUCCI GROUP in 2009, while Japan, U.S.A and Europe all
registered negative results.5
Also, donating to charity can be a very good advertising method to attract people to the shops, since 2005 which was
the beginning of Gucci and UNISEF’s partnership, we can find a lot of advertising materials that the company used to
sell their products.
I think what Gucci has done or doing is a very moral and at the mean time smart move in the business to increase the
turnover by attracting more customers and good employees to the business and helping to have a good social view in
the world of fashion.
Sources: Vogue.com.uk, Gucci.com, gowerpublishing.com
Xoxo
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