Emilio Pucci

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EMILIO PUCCI, MARQUIS OF BARSENTO

Born in 1914 to one of Florence’s oldest families, Emilio Pucci, the Marquis of Barsento, became a fashion phenomenon in the 1950s with a trailblazing vision that continues to reverberate today. Although he relinquished a private life of aristocratic leisure, the Marquis was nonetheless crowned “The Prince of Prints” by the international fashion press who were smitten by his bold, new designs and radical approach to fashion at the time. A major influence in contemporary fashion, Pucci’s legacy continues to be a major force behind the birth of the “made in Italy” style and a milestone in Italy’s sportswear concept.

HOW IT BEGAN

An avid skier and athlete, who travelled between his family’s regal palazzo in Florence, the mountains of Switzerland and the glamorous resort island of Capri, Emilio Pucci naturally embodied the post-war, jet set glamour which captivated a new generation of modern, active women.  His fashion career began unexpectedly in 1947 when he created a streamlined ski outfit - totally revolutionary with its sleek, tapered trousers and hooded parka, photographed on the slopes of Switzerland for Harper’s Bazaar. He then opened a boutique on Capri dedicated to simple, yet beautiful resort clothing (tight, colourful “Capri” pants, silk twill shirts, and striped jersey tops) that embodied the island’s natural beauty and refreshingly bright colours. The novel concept of designer ready-to-wear was a hit with the island’s sophisticated clientele who had instant access to wearable yet chic clothing. Later, his designs were prized by world-renown female icons, including Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren, Jackie Kennedy and Gloria Guinness as well as Madonna and Nicole Kidman.

THE REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN

Prior to Pucci’s arrival on the design scene, women were constricted by rigid, structured clothing that utilised heavy padding, corsets and petticoats to unnaturally confine the body. Contrary to his design contemporaries, Pucci was driven by the desire to liberate women, granting them unprecedented freedom and movement. His simply designed dresses, pants and tops featured sexy, free-flowing lines that followed the natural curves of the body.  Pucci designs had the allure of couture, but were shed of all the impractical weight, volume, layering and, most importantly, cost of haute couture creations. Additionally, Pucci offered a total vision that ranged from dresses and underwear to linens, handbags, perfumes and rugs, and gave an expanded group of consumers access to designer goods for the first time.

A BRILLLIANT COLORIST

Inspired by exotic cultures and by the natural landscapes of the Mediterranean, Pucci brought luscious, bright colour to his designs in an unparalleled way. A sophisticated fusion of colour -- lemon yellows, bougainvillea pinks, frosted lilacs, azure blue, almond green-- became the hallmark of Pucci design. The effect was glorious, joyful, and perfectly captured the new mood in fashion. Instantly recognisable, Pucci’s colour combinations exude energy and emotion and allow the designs of the clothes themselves to remain relatively simple.

THE PRINCE OF PRINTS

In the 1950s Pucci began developing his signature prints-- graphic, abstract designs, which swirled in a kaleidoscope of colour. The organic forms pulsing with geometric patterns mimicked contemporary art forms, but were inspired by the world around him – Sicilian mosaics, the heraldic banners of Siena’s Palio horse race, Bali Batiks, and African motifs. It was the first time that such optical illusions had been incorporated into clothing and the effect was highly original, not to mention extensively copied in the years to come. Each print carries the designer’s name “Emilio”, in tiny hand-written form, marking the debut of a designer’s name as an external logo.