The Gucci Honeycomb
Gucci makes cereal? Ha! They do not, but I'm sure we would all want Gucci honeycombs if they existed. This logo print is known as the Gucci "honeycomb" and is simply named after its reversed double Gs and dots that take shape as a honeycomb.
Many have tried to copy this honeycomb pattern with their logo, such as Guess and company. The use of the honeycomb earned a nearly 5 million dollar lawsuit with Gucci. In 2013, the courts ruled in favor of Guess and that the interlocking G's were distinct enough to Gucci.
This is the Guess version on their handbags...
Do you think it's similar to Gucci?
We love a great name all over our bags and will pay big money for it. It's natural to want to show off our hard earned purchases. However, it can be easily replicated and designers names can get lost in the logo craze.
Now, let's talk about the Gucci "honeycomb" which was created for a reason, but more on that in a bit.
Gucci is an Italian fashion and leather goods brand which is part of the Gucci Group. Gucci was founded by Guccio Gucci in Florence in 1921.
At the end of the 19th century, the Gucci company became one of the world’s most successful manufacturers of high-end leather goods, clothing, and other fashion products.
As an immigrant hotel worker in Paris and London, Guccio Gucci (1881–1953) was impressed with the luxurious luggage he saw urban guests traveling with. Before returning to his birthplace of Florence, a city distinguished for high-quality materials and skilled artisans, he established a shop in 1920 that sold fine leather goods. Although Gucci organized his workrooms for industrial methods of production, he maintained traditional aspects of fabrication.
Guccio and his three sons Aldo Gucci (1905-1990), Vasco Gucci (1907–1975), and Rodolfo Gucci (1912–1983) built the Gucci brand of what we know today.
Gucci's stores featured finely crafted leather accessories such as handbags, shoes, and the iconic ornamented loafer. Soon after as well as silks and knitwear in a signature pattern.
The company made handbags of cotton canvas rather than leather during World War II as a result of material shortages. The canvas, however, was distinguished by a signature double-G symbol combined with prominent red and green bands. After the war, the Gucci crest, which showed a shield and armored knight surrounded by a ribbon inscribed with the family name, became synonymous with the city of Florence.
Gucci's distinctive lines made its products among the most frequently copied in the world in the early 2000s. Pigskin, calf, and imported exotic animal skins were subjected to various methods of fabrication. Waterproof canvas and satin were used for evening bags. Bamboo was first used to make handbag handles by a process of heating and molding in 1947, and purses made with a shoulder strap and snaffle-bit decoration were introduced in 1960. In 1964 Gucci’s lush butterfly pattern was custom-created for silk foulards, followed by equally luxuriant floral patterns. The original Gucci loafer was updated by a distinctive snaffle-bit ornament in 1966, while the "Rolls-Royce" luggage set was introduced in 1970. Watches, jewelry, ties, and eyewear were then added to the company's product lines.
A particularly iconic touch, introduced in 1964, was the use of the double-G logo for belt buckles and other accessory decorations.
Gucci is the epitome of luxury fashion and there is nothing in its history that would persuade otherwise. However, it is also an example of a name getting lost in its inner beauty. The 'G' means so much more than letters, it means a lifetime of handcrafted beauty. The very next time you see the honeycomb, know and appreciate where it started because it's heart is more than a name.
