The Making of
the Gucci Bamboo 1947

It was the House’s enterprising founder Guccio Gucci, with the help of visionary Florentine artisans, who decided to use the lightweight and durable bamboo for the handle of a bag amid Italy’s post-war era in which traditional raw materials were difficult to come by. Ushering in an expansion of the House’s artisanal expertise at the middle of the 20th century, there is a highly intuitive yet technical process behind curving the stalk. Crafted by nature, then by the House’s artisan, not a single bamboo handle is ever the same. First the most unblemished piece of bamboo is chosen, then softened and worked over an open flame to bend the material. Once shaped, the handle is coated in multiple layers of lacquer, after which it is baked to achieve a shiny golden-brown finish and placed upon an expertly stitched bag that recalls the shape of a horse saddle. Following its debut, the Bamboo bag became a fixture among Hollywood’s leading ladies and the international jet set, consolidating the style’s status as an innovative icon around the world. Today, the renowned design of the Gucci Bamboo 1947 is at the heart of the House’s iconic bag collections, representing how a creative instinct propelled by profound know-how has led Gucci to where it is today.