pucci coup

Generally there are more roses than weeds in the garden of freelance life. However, this morning it is galling to learn of the Pucci 60th anniversary extravaganza taking place in Florence this weekend, to which I am not invited. Usually, this sort of thing does not bother me: I turn down nearly all the invitations that I receive and large gatherings of fashion people are not my idea of fun. However, Pucci is a label with deep resonance for me. Of all the articles I have written, my absolute favourite is a feature entitled, ‘Why Hasn’t Pucci Been Gucci-ed?’ which appeared eight years ago in a very influential newspaper supplement [which sits alongside wWomens Wear Daily and US Vogue is one of the top three most prestigious luxury publications in the world.]

I approached the late designer’s daughter Laudomia Pucci directly (no PR’s were involved) and even paid for my own flight to Florence, driven entirely by personal passion. There, in the historic 14th-century Palazzo Pucci I found a woman who seemed more than a little overawed by her father’s dazzling legacy. My subsequent feature made the cover of the magazine and shortly afterwards Pucci [or a 67% stake in it] was bought out by luxury goods conglomerate LVMH and given a Gucci-style makeover.

Given the clout of the publication in question, I like to think that my 2000-word feature played more than a small part in all of this. But after it appeared and the subsequent windfall for the house of Pucci, I did not hear a word from Laudomia - not a phone call, an e-mail or a thank you note. This has always been a major source of disappointment to me. So I won’t be joining the festivities in the Pucci palazzo this weekend but cycling through the poppy fields in the Poitou-Charente instead. Which come to think about it, is much more preferable. I wish Laudomia every success with the party and perfume launch. But needless to say, Pucci is no longer my favourite label.