The Pucci brand restarts from Florence, where it all began thanks to the inspiration of the Marquis Emilio who in the 1950s created the visionary fashion collections dominated by colorful prints, psychedelic patterns, innovative cuts that have contributed to making Made in Italy great in the world .
In Florence the first fashion show under the guidance of Camille Miceli
Today the brand, which since mid-2021 has passed 100% into the portfolio of the French luxury giant Lvmh, is entrusted to the artistic direction of Camille Miceli, a creative past in Chanel, Dior and Vuitton, who in the headquarters of the Canottieri company on the bank of the ‘Arno, framed by the Ponte Vecchio and illuminated by the setting sun, presented its first show on May 4, Initials EP, inspired by the coat of arms designed by Emilio Pucci in 1971 for the Apollo 15 crew.
This is the spring-summer 2023 collection, ready for sale in stores and online (according to the formula see now, buy now), enriched by some special pieces. Precious materials, light and flowing dresses, prints even on denim, knitwear, swimsuits and accessories (from bags to jewels) make up a style that Camille Miceli has designed to be experienced throughout the day, and not just on special occasions: «I imagine a modern way of being, living and moving – explains the artistic director – an ultra-contemporary wardrobe that has its roots in the history of the Pucci maison. I would like to further strengthen the identity of the brand and its community, away from the frenzy. My idea is that the collections follow the life of a family throughout the year, from eight in the morning to four in the night».
The heritage starting point for the new course of the brand
The precious archive of the maison, which collects drawings and dresses designed by Emilio Pucci (and which has remained in the property of his daughter, Laudomia Pucci, who until two years ago maintained a minority share of 33%), remains a source to draw from: «The heritage of the maison – explains Camille – represents for me a main source of inspiration: I start from the prints, I go to the archive precisely because I want to work on the original designs, then I rework them manually without a computer so as not to lose the imperfection of the hand made design. During this process I often find the style of the 70s, sometimes even 60s. As artistic director, I believe it is essential to approach the brand, not vice versa, to respect it and translate its DNA. I always try to bring out the personality of its founder and that’s why I chose Florence as the place for my first fashion show». The three previous collections designed by Camille, in fact, had not been presented on a catwalk.
Objective: to interpret immediate and transversal desires
Camille is clear about the target to address, and the channels to use to reach it: «My collections do not refer to just one type of woman, there are no generational tracks for me, it is a collection that can be worn by the mother and by the daughter, by women who are not afraid to dare, who wear color and prints in a nonchalant way. I decided to focus on the ‘see now buy now’ model because we live in an age in which content is fast and desire is immediate, and I like the idea of being able to satisfy it in the bud”. As for the turnover from which Pucci starts again, and the Lvmh group (which traditionally does not segment data by brand) is silent about the objectives it has set for itself in the short to medium term. The certainty is that, after years in which the brand (which now has its headquarters in Milan and boutiques in Italy and in eight other countries) has remained confined to a glamorous and sophisticated niche, it now intends to broaden its horizons and conquer new customers and new markets. To no longer play the part of Cinderella within the fashion division of the largest luxury group in the world.