Emilio Pucci

Emilio Pucci (1914–1992), Italian fashion designer and statesman, whose designs were popular from the mid-1950s to mid-1960s. Produced in bright colors such as turquoise, acid yellow, and almond green, his designs became the symbol of a new casual chic and contributed to the growth of the Italian fashion industry after World War II (1939-1945).

Pucci was a descendant of the noble Italian Pucci family, whose members were established as silk weavers in Florence in the 14th century. In 1934 he was a member of the Italian Olympic ski team, and shortly afterwards he went to the United States to study social science. After returning to Florence and completing his studies in 1941, he enrolled in the Italian air force during World War II. In 1964 he was elected to parliament, where he served as a deputy for nine years. He was also active in Florentine city politics.

Pucci became known as a designer after photographs of him, wearing his own designs on the Italian ski slopes, appeared in Harper's Bazaar in 1948. In 1950 he established his own couture, or fashion design, housed at the family home, Palazzo Pucci. He was a colorist and an inventive user of fabrics, preferring soft silks and satins in bright colors and abstract patterns. His so-called New Age designs became synonymous with style, and his trademarks—narrow-legged slacks and comfortable loose blouses—became the standard for the next decade. Among his customers were American actors Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor. Although the popularity of his designs declined after the mid-1960s, Pucci’s influence was seen in Italian fashion designer Gianni Versace’s 1991 collections and much of the 1960s-revival high-street fashion.