Maurizio Gucci was a businessman from Italy. He ran the Gucci fashion house for a while. He had an actor father, Rodolfo Gucci. His grandfather was Guccio Gucci, who started the company. His birth date was September 26, 1948, and he was born in Florence, Italy. In 1972, he married Patrizia Reggiani.They had two daughters, Allegra and Alessandra. In this article, we will discuss What was Maurizio Gucci’s background, What were his achievements and challenges, and How did he die.
How did he become the leader of Gucci?
Maurizio Gucci worked for the family business in 1972. He moved to New York City to work with his uncle Aldo Gucci. In 1983, he fought with Aldo for control over Gucci. He became the main owner after his father died. He won the fight and then became the chairman of the Gucci group in 1989.
What were his achievements and challenges?
Maurizio Gucci made the brand more popular and respected. He hired good designers like Tom Ford and Dawn Mello. He also made the company bigger and more diverse. But he also had money problems and bad reviews. He spent too much on the company’s offices in Florence and Milan. He sold his last shares in 1993 for $170 million to Investcorp. This ended the Gucci family’s link with the company.
How did he die?
Maurizio Gucci died on March 27, 1995. A hitman shot and killed him on the steps of his office in Milan. His ex-wife Patrizia Reggiani hired the hitman. He was 46 years old. The police caught Patrizia Reggiani and the court found her guilty of Maurizio’s murder. She spent 18 years in prison and then got out in 2016.
How tall was he?
There is no official information on Maurizio Gucci’s height. But some photos of him with other people show that he was around 6 feet or 183 cm tall.
What was his personal life like?
Maurizio Gucci had a hard personal life. He had many relationships and a nasty divorce. He married Patrizia Reggiani in 1972, but their marriage got worse in the 1980s. Maurizio had work stress and Patrizia liked to spend a lot. In 1985, Maurizio left Patrizia without telling her and moved to Switzerland with another woman, Sheree McLaughlin Loud, an American model. A long legal fight that involved claims of tax cheating and cheating on each other led to their divorce in 1994. Maurizio also had to pay Patrizia a $500,000 yearly alimony as part of their deal.
After breaking up with Sheree McLaughlin Loud in 1990, Maurizio dated Paola Franchi, a childhood friend whom he met again in Switzerland. They wanted to get married and have a child together when Maurizio was killed in 1995. Paola Franchi later spoke against Patrizia Reggiani at her trial for Maurizio’s murder.
What is his legacy?
Maurizio Gucci is remembered as a smart leader who changed Gucci into a global fashion leader. He also left behind a lot of money that went to his two daughters, Allegra and Alessandra. According to Forbes, they are among the richest women in Italy with a net worth of $1.7 billion each as of 2020. They have not involved themselves in the fashion industry and instead have kept a low profile. They have also stayed away from their mother Patrizia Reggiani, who has been called “the Black Widow” by the media for her role in Maurizio’s murder.