Pucci: The Enigma Continues
Photos by Gruber

MILAN, Mar 7, 2002/ --- Late last year, Laudomia Pucci, daughter of founder Emilio, revealed at a luxury conference that one of the reasons she eventually sold Pucci to LVMH, was an article in the Financial Times entitled, "Why isn't Pucci Guccied?"

Now, two years after LVMH bought control of the famed, albeit modest in size, Tuscan label, that question remains unanswered.

Not that LVMH has been lazy -- far from it.

Under creative director Julio Espada, Pucci has developed a respectable commercial clientele for its colorful silk shirts and pretty vacation wear.

The house has also opened up several cool stores and the name is very much back on the map.

However, in terms of ever approaching a monster brand like Gucci, Pucci still has to get out of low gear.

And in terms of creating an influential and exciting collection, Espada clearly has some way to go.

On Monday in a south Milan exhibition space, the designer did manage to present some cute and attractive ideas -- silk shirts in geometric patterns reminiscent of the Neo Plastic school, and a few swirling pattern dresses in green and black (notably one worn by the ever-pouting Isabelli) that will move briskly off the racks.

However, far too much of the collection was composed of improbable looks - stiff silk dresses that bubbled out bizarrely below the knee and the opening naïve shoes and jackets in childish prints of elephants (or were they deformed whales?).

Clearly very few fashion houses can really ever aspire to being "star brands," to use the preferred term of LVMH supremo Bernard Arnault.

But at least they can produce hip and exciting collections.

This was not one of those collections.

Emilio Pucci

Emilio Pucci

Emilio Pucci

Emilio Pucci