Emilio Pucci was a very popular fashion designer that lived between 1914 and 1992. He was a designer and also a politician, quite the combo especially for the 20th century. His company is the one that created the geometric prints using a kaleidoscope of colors. That notion has become iconic and synonymous with Emilio Pucci, even years after his passing. This really goes to show the influence that the designer had during his life and how the managed to show off his unique characteristics and ideas to begin with.
Emilio was born in Naples to one of the oldest noble families in the region. He lived and also worked in the Pucci Palace for most of his life. Aside from liking design from an early age, he was also a great sportsman, he raced cars, played a lot of tennis, even enjoyed things like swimming, fencing and skiing, which was really cool.
When he was 17, he went to Lake Placid in New York and was a part of the Italian team for the 1932 Olympics, but he ended up not competing. He studied 2 years at the University of Milan, and then he studied agriculture at the University of Georgia. This is also where he became a member of the Demosthenian Literary society. He received a scholarship for the Reed College in Oregon thanks to helping the college ski team. He then earned his Social Science MA in 1937, and even got a doctorate in political science from the University of Florence during that same year.
Another important thing to note about Emilio Pucci is that he was involved in WWII quite a bit, in fact he was even tortured by the Gestapo in Milan. So Emilio had quite the life story, and faced a plethora of challenges over the years. But it goes to show the resilience and numerous challenges that he had to face. In the end, all these things just helped him become stronger.
When it comes to Emilio Pucci’s fashion career, he started designed clothes for the Reed College Skiing team. Then his designs became a lot more important when he was asked to design skiwear for a female friend. That design was featured in Bazaar, and from there he continually focused on cool and unique designs.
Emilio Pucci was the first person to create a one=piece ski suit. He managed to create a great model that everyone wanted to check out. He also set up a haute couture house in the Canzone del Mare resort at that time. Aside from creating a great swimwear line, he also moved on to a variety of other items, mostly brightly colored products.
During the 50s, Emilio had international recognition, and he created a lot of interesting designs. He had his own luxury, line, as well as a lingerie line. Over the years, he always tried to innovate and not be the same. He knew that in order to be the best, you have to push the boundaries and come up with new stuff. And that’s what he did, which ended up being amazing in its own right. Emilio Pucci continues to be a staple in the designer world, and his designs will certainly live forever!