Emilio Pucci facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Don
Emilio Pucci
|
|
|---|---|
Emilio Pucci in 1963
|
|
| Born | 20 November 1914 Naples, Italy
|
| Died | 29 November 1992 (aged 78) Florence, Italy
|
| Education | University of Georgia Reed College (MA) University of Florence (laurea) |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
| Known for | Geometric prints |
|
Label(s)
|
Emilio Pucci |
Emilio Pucci (born November 20, 1914 – died November 29, 1992) was an Italian noble, fashion designer, and politician. He is famous for his company, Emilio Pucci, which is known for its bright, colorful patterns. These patterns often look like a kaleidoscope of shapes and colors.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Emilio Pucci was born in Naples, Italy, in 1914. His family was one of the oldest noble families in Florence. He spent much of his life living and working in the historic Pucci Palace in Florence.
Emilio was a very active person. He loved sports like swimming, skiing, fencing, and tennis. He even raced cars! When he was 17, he traveled to Lake Placid, New York, with the Italian team for the 1932 Winter Olympics. However, he did not compete in the games.
He studied at the University of Milan for two years. Then, he went to the University of Georgia in the United States to study agriculture. In 1935, he received a special scholarship to Reed College in Oregon. This was because he helped create a ski team for the college. He earned a master's degree in social science from Reed College in 1937. In the same year, he also got his doctorate degree in political science from the University of Florence in Italy.
World War II Involvement
In 1938, Emilio Pucci joined the Italian Air Force. He became a pilot during World War II, flying SM.79 torpedo bombers. He rose to the rank of captain and received awards for his bravery.
During the war, he became close with Edda Mussolini, who was the daughter of Italy's leader, Benito Mussolini. Emilio Pucci helped Edda escape to Switzerland in January 1944. He then tried to escape himself but was caught. He was questioned very strictly by the Gestapo (the secret police of Nazi Germany) but managed to escape again to Switzerland. He stayed there until the war ended.
Fashion Career Begins
 |
|
| Private | |
| Industry | Fashion |
| Founded | 1947 |
| Founder | Emilio Pucci |
| Headquarters | Florence, Italy |
|
Area served
|
Worldwide |
|
Key people
|
Camille Miceli, Artistic Director |
| Products | Clothing, homewares |
| Revenue |  €60.1 million (2012) |
| Owner | LVMH |
Emilio Pucci's first clothing designs were for the Reed College ski team. His fashion career really took off in 1947. He was on leave in Zermatt, Switzerland, and had designed skiwear for a friend. A famous photographer, Toni Frissell, took pictures of his designs for Harper's Bazaar magazine. The magazine's editor then asked Pucci to design more skiwear for a story.
Pucci was the first designer to create a one-piece ski suit. His sleek designs, made with stretchy fabrics, were very popular. He left the Air Force and opened his own fashion house in 1949. It was located in Canzone del Mare on the beautiful Isle of Capri.
He started by making swimwear, using his knowledge of stretchy materials. Soon, he began designing other items, like brightly colored silk scarves with bold patterns. A famous retailer, Stanley Marcus from Neiman Marcus, encouraged him to use these designs for blouses and then for popular, wrinkle-free silk dresses.
Emilio Pucci showed his collections in the first fashion shows in Italy in 1950. His business grew, helped by Capri being a popular spot for the international "jet set" (wealthy people who travel a lot). By the early 1950s, Pucci was famous worldwide.
Pucci's Global Impact
In the 1960s, Pucci's fame grew even more when Marilyn Monroe became a fan. She was photographed wearing his clothes in some of her last pictures. After she passed away in 1962, she was even buried in a Pucci dress.
As the decade continued, many famous people wore his designs. These included actress Sophia Loren, author Jacqueline Susann, and First Lady Jackie Kennedy. Later, pop stars like Madonna also wore his designs, especially when 1960s fashion became popular again. Pucci's style helped connect luxurious custom-made clothing (called haute couture) with ready-to-wear fashion in Europe and North America.
In 1959, Pucci also started a lingerie (underwear) line. He worked with an American company called Formfit-Rogers mills in Chicago. This partnership was very successful.
Special Collaborations
Braniff Airways Uniforms
In 1965, Emilio Pucci was asked to design new uniforms for Braniff International Airways flight attendants, pilots, and ground crew. The airline wanted to update its image. Pucci designed six different collections for Braniff between 1965 and 1974. His designs were so famous that even Barbie dolls had versions of his first four uniforms by 1968!
These modern uniforms had different parts that could be added or removed depending on the weather. They included turtlenecks, T-shirts, short jackets, and culottes (pants that look like a skirt). One very unique item was a "bubble helmet." This clear plastic hood was worn by flight attendants to protect their hairstyles from rain and jet engine blasts when walking between the terminal and the plane.
NASA and Lincoln Designs
Pucci's influence even reached the Moon! He suggested the design for the Apollo 15 mission patch, which featured three birds. The astronauts changed his original blue and green colors to red, white, and blue.
From 1976 to 1983, Pucci also designed the colors and interior trim for special "Pucci Edition" Lincoln Mark series cars. These luxury cars were made by the Lincoln division of Ford Motor Company in the United States.
Political Career
Besides his fashion work, Emilio Pucci was also involved in politics. He ran for election in the Italian election of April 1963 for the Italian Liberal Party. He won a seat in the Italian Chamber of Deputies in August of that year.
He kept his seat in the 1968 election. However, he lost it in the 1972 election, even though he received the most votes for his party in his district.
The Pucci Label Today
After Emilio Pucci passed away in 1992, his daughter, Laudomia Pucci, continued to design for the company. In 2000, a large French luxury goods company called LVMH bought most of the Pucci company. Laudomia became the Image Director, while LVMH brought in famous designers like Christian Lacroix and Matthew Williamson to lead the creative team.
Today, Emilio Pucci clothes and accessories are sold in special Emilio Pucci stores and in high-end department stores around the world. The items still feature the designer's original bright, swirly patterns, or new designs that have his unique style. The fashion house makes ready-to-wear clothes and accessories for women. They also have a small range of men's accessories.
In the past, the company made more men's clothing, including a line with Ermenegildo Zegna that featured men's jackets lined with Pucci fabric. They even made a special Pucci carrying case for the PlayStation Portable gaming system!
Famous people who wear Pucci designs today include Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway, singer Kylie Minogue, and TV presenter Alexa Chung. Pucci also designed the costumes for Rita Ora's Radioactive Tour.
Since June 2021, LVMH owns 100% of the Pucci company. Laudomia Pucci still manages the company's historical designs and heritage. In September 2021, Camille Miceli became the creative director for Pucci.
See also
In Spanish: Emilio Pucci para niños
