Gucci – a name synonymous with high fashion, luxury, and class has gained legendary status in the modern world. The legendary brand creates some of the best clothing for men and women. The brand is also known for creating leather goods, jewelry, and accessories.
The legendary fashion house has an equally iconic logo that is recognizable throughout the world. The aesthetically pleasing logo goes beyond the use of the two “Gs.” We will explore what makes the Gucci logo so special and stylish. But first, let us look into how it all began for the legendary fashion house.
Gucci: a brief history
Rome wasn’t built in a day. Gucci took years to gain its legendary status. And the fun part of it all—both Gucci and Rome are in Italy!
Founded by Guccio Gucci in 1921, the iconic brand had a humble beginning. The history of the brand begins with the birth of its founder in 1881. Born to a simple Italian family, Guccio Gucci was destined for great things. He moved to London and took a job as a porter in the Savoy hotel.
At the Savoy, he became enamored with the high-quality suitcases he carried for his guests from all over the world. His career as a porter led him to understand high fashion and what luxury meant for different people.
Gucci returned to Florence with all the experience he had gathered in London and opened his own leather goods store in 1921. He put in all his experience along with employing skilled artisans to create some of the best finished products. Together, they beautifully handcrafted all the products with attention to the minutest details in the shop.
Soon, Gucci’s name began spreading like wildfire which led him to open two additional stores. Gucci, with the help of his three sons, opened the two stores in Milan and Rome.
Within the next few years, Gucci established itself as one of the leading luxury brands in the world. Hollywood films stars posed wearing Gucci apparel, and the rich wanted to lay their hands on the leading fashion brand’s products. From Elizabeth Taylor to Grace Kelly to Jackie Kennedy, all flaunted their Gucci clothes and accessories proudly.
With new stores opening in Tokyo and Hong Kong, Gucci spread its arms Eastwards in the 1970s. However, with the Gucci brothers fighting, the golden period for the brand seemed over. But, the appointment of Dawn Mello as the creative director ensured that the legacy of the great fashion house continued.
Gucci logo: Meaning and history
In terms of luxury brands, the Gucci emblem is perhaps the most recognizable. The brand had operated without a logo since its inception in 1921 up until 1933.
Aldo Gucci, Guccio Gucci’s son, joined the family business in 1933 and made it his priority to give the family business a unique visual identity. Aldo finally combined the two “Gs” from his father’s initials to come up with one of the world’s most recognizable insignias—the double “G” logo. Aldo also ensured that the logo did not confuse anyone; therefore, he used the Gucci wordmark above the double “G” emblem. The Gucci logo has been a part of the brand’s visual identity ever since.
Throughout its history, Gucci used different variations of the iconic intertwined logo but never changed it. The Gucci symbol became extremely recognizable over the years. People related the logo with luxury and high fashion, which also became the reason for it becoming the number one choice of scam artists. Fraudsters use the logo to make quick money, but with new laws being enforced, such acts are now being curtailed.
In 2012, the world’s premier fashion brand lost the rights to its iconic logo. Due to some vagueness in UK’s intellectual property laws, Gucci lost its UK trademark. The brand could not renew its trademark on time, resulting in the fashion brand losing its iconic logo in the UK.
The brand fought a hard battle in the court; they argued, “Gucci’s reputation may suffer damage by association with a non-luxury or low-cost fashion brand.” However, it was too late!
Top design agencies and press from around the world give testament to the Gucci logo’s popularity. Despite the emblem being a favorite of scam artists, Gucci never had to face any permanent damage to its reputation.
Meaning
One of the most stylish and memorable fashion logos, the Gucci emblem has been designed artistically. The logo portrays veracity and grandeur. The minimalist design employed in the logo can teach budding designers what a timeless piece of logo should contain.
Designed by Aldo Gucci in honor of his father and founder of Gucci, Guccio Gucci, the logo features two interlocked “Gs” which ooze style and grace.
Evolution
1933–Present
In this section, we generally talk about how a logo has adapted and changed with time. The Gucci insignia never changed since its inception and has remained an integral part of the brand’s visual identity. The Gucci logo is among the few emblems that fit with time and the ever-changing fashion industry. How the logo has achieved this state is a topic of discussion for many designers.
Color palette
Though the official logo is a monochrome one, the brand uses various other color schemes as necessary. Since the logo is executed in monochrome, it easily fits into various backgrounds.
Apart from the monochrome logo, the fashion giant uses another palette: green and red. The color scheme is generally found in bags, leather goods, and shoes as a three-striped pattern that consists of three horizontal lines: two green lines and a red stripe in the middle.
Font
The wordmark is executed in a smooth serif typeface and appears extremely elegant. The fonts appear to be very close to Golden Bold. The font reflects the brand’s confidence and style.
Logo test
While it is true that the Gucci emblem is one of the most recognizable symbols in the world, does it perform well in the four parameters that set the best logos apart from their inferior counterparts? Let us find out.
Relevant
Is relevancy important? Can we not just choose any symbol to represent our brand? What makes a logo relevant?
Yes, being relevant is crucial, especially when the question is about a company’s visual identity. A relevant logo provides clarity as to what a company is all about. It helps set the record straight by providing crucial information about the brand.
A company employs various strategies to make its visual identity more relevant. From the color palette to fonts to applying various symbols, a company ensures the logo communicates exactly what the brand is all about.
The Gucci logo is a prime example of a logo that is relevant. The wordmark and the symbol clearly communicate what the company is about. The intertwined “Gs” with Gucci written above has become synonymous with fashion.
Memorable
Often when you see a good logo, you tend to remember it. You also begin to learn more about the brand when its logo catches your attention. The goal of a good logo is to create a powerful connection with the consumers so that they become more curious to know about the brand it represents.
The Gucci logo never fails to catch the attention of the customers. It establishes a connection with every type of customer in just under a few seconds.
One of the most important elements of a memorable logo is its uniqueness. The Gucci logo is truly unique in every count. The double-G, impeccably placed, is a delight to watch.
Simple
The brain is preconditioned to retain simple things; hence, when a design is simple the brain easily accepts it. Another important aspect of a simple design is its ability to communicate effectively. A simple and minimal logo is to the point and does not beat about the bush.
A simple design can be achieved by funneling ideas into their simplest form. Use of negative space and getting rid of any clutter from an existing logo is another way to achieve simplicity.
The Gucci insignia is as simple as one can imagine; however, it blows the maximum impact. The simple Gucci logo is so powerful that designers and marketing specialists from around the globe study it!
Timeless
One element that makes a logo truly great is its timelessness. Very few logos have stood the test of time as much as Gucci’s. Never did Gucci’s logo change in its 80-year history.
The Gucci logo has been around for the last 80 years and has always found a way to adapt itself and remain contemporary. The most important qualities of a timeless logo are that it always finds a way to remain in fashion, never gets old and adapts. The Gucci logo is truly a timeless logo.
The Gucci logo scores more than maximum in the logo test. Time has declared the Gucci logo a winner; therefore, any test trying to examine if it fits the various criteria of an iconic logo is futile.
Closing remarks
Gucci’s contribution to the world of fashion is undeniable. From its initial days as a leather goods maker to finally creating the world’s best apparel and accessories, Gucci has travelled a long way to become what it is today – the king of the fashion world. The iconic Gucci logo has been the icing on the cake for this fashion giant. Timeless, memorable, relevant, and simple, the Gucci logo is here for the long haul.
Business Development Manager with a demonstrated history of working in the Media and Digital marketing sector, Passionate about innovation and bringing the future into new business solutions.
