1. Origins of Pucci Prints
The stylish Italian aristocrat Emilio Pucci’s fashion career began unexpectedly in 1947 after he designed ready-to-wear ski outfits for himself and his girlfriend. American photographer Toni Frissell captured the fashionable pair with the images being given to iconic Harper’s Bazaar editor, Diana Vreeland who asked Pucci to design skiwear for a magazine piece on European Winter Fashion, for the winter 1948 issue. He later designed a swimwear line in 1949 before moving on to his now iconic ties, scarves, dresses and free flowing co-ordinated trousers suits.
Pucci drew inspiration from diverse sources for his vivid designs — from the Palio di Agosto and the Bali Batiks to the vivid hues of the Mediterranean as well as African and Sicilian mosaics. His prints, often reminiscent of abstract art, were a departure from the more restrained designs of the previous decade.