The creative spirit that made Emilio Pucci one of the world’s design icons lives on in the Heritage Hub designed to be an incubator for fresh talents as well as a comprehensive brand archive in the heart of Milan
Mention the name “Pucci” and what immediately comes to mind for many are vivid, vibrantly patterned prints that characterised the psychedelic aesthetic of the Swinging Sixties. Yet, despite the passage of time, the Pucci brand continues to loom large in the global fashion scene as it still presents a range of exquisitely designed and styled collections of clothing and accessories.
Keeping this in mind, one wonders how a brand that first came to the world’s attention in 1947 continues to be relevant in the present day despite the increasingly competitive nature of the fashion industry. Perhaps the best answer would be to say that Pucci is a brand that holds its storied past and rich heritage in high regard even as it works progressively towards the future. This can be seen in the creation of the Emilio Pucci Heritage Hub in Florence, Italy.
Laudomia Pucci, the founder’s daughter and current vice-chairman and image director for Emilio Pucci SRL, says that this unique heritage hub is aimed towards connecting everyone—partners and friends, au courant fashionistas, fashion historians—to the Pucci brand. For her, it is also a way of strengthening corporate culture through the provision of a strong link to the brand’s history.
As she puts it, “We aim to develop our company’s culture by working on [Pucci’s] roots and producing corporate trainings, events, collaborations, and conversations that position our unique br and heritage in a contemporary context.”
Initiated in June 2017 and officially introduced to the public during the April 2018 run of Apriti Moda (an annual event wherein the different houses of Italian haute couture open their doors to the public over a two-day period), the Emilio Pucci Heritage Hub was, essentially, envisioned to become a bridge between the past and the present as a way of moving forward towards the brand’s future. In which case, it serves as an incubator of the brand’s DNA; a repository of archives where its culture and history are kept alive; and a place where fresh new talents are fostered and nurtured. Since its inception, it has been maintained by a heritage team led by project manager Giulia Binotto. Along with archival work and conservation, the team is responsible for doing relevant research and innovative brand communication through events and exhibitions held at the Hub.