There is hardly any place in the world where Gucci has not made an impression with its luxury products. Founded in 1921, Gucci remains one of the most renowned and celebrated fashion houses globally.
Being a luxury brand, most of their original products usually come with hefty price tags that only a few can afford.
So, what makes Gucci products so expensive?
Gucci makes its products with high-end clientele, such as celebrities and royalty, in mind. With said exclusivity, the Gucci fashion house prides itself on being among the few brands that use very high-quality materials from handpicked sources, later designed and processed by extremely talented craftsmen. This eventually leads to the production of exquisite products that are admired by luxury enthusiasts worldwide.
So what makes Gucci such a luxurious brand?
About The Gucci Brand
The Gucci fashion brand was originally started by an Italian Fashion designer named Guccio Gucci in 1921. After working in France for a while as a bellhop, Guccio studied and learned the preferred luggage tastes of the global travelers he served.
He thus moved back to his home town Florence Italy, where he opened a leather shop. With the help of his family, he made high-quality leather travel and, later, handbags.
He was forced to introduce other materials, such as wicker and linen, given the leather shortage of 1935. Aldo, Guccio’s son, was the visionary who pushed his father to open more branches in Rome, the larger Europe, and later the rest of the world.
The family continued to run the business together until the late 190’s when their personal and corporate disagreements led to the change in Gucci management.
As of today, the Gucci Fashion house runs under the Kering group with over 500 stores worldwide and 17000+ employees in total.
The fashion house expanded from the original bag manufacturing business to making clothes, cosmetics, accessories, and even branded decorations.
Why is Gucci So Famous?
Most ideas that later turn into family businesses rarely make it to their fifth anniversary. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 20% of new businesses fail within the first year of conception.
45% within the first five years. Therefore, for Gucci to have celebrated 100 years of existence, it truly must be a brand dedicated to making big moves.
Moreso, having celebrities and other famous individuals buying, publicly wearing, and using their products does more good to their publicity.
The Most Expensive Gucci Products
In 2019 alone, Gucci generated a whooping £9.6 billion in sales, the equivalent of $10.7 billion. This was possible thanks to some of their very high-priced items. Below are some of their most expensive products.
The Gucci Stuart Hughes Belt
Embedded with 30 karat diamonds, the Stuart Hughes Belt buckle has to be one of the rarest of its kind.
While the belt has no special features or extraordinary abilities, it is made of authentic Italian leather, and the buckle is precious enough to actually stand as a relic in a museum of luxury products.
The Canadian actor’s one-of-a-kind belt is, to this date, the most expensive product ever sold by the Gucci house of fashion. It went for $250,000.
The Gucci Crocodile Tote Bag
At $38,000, this unique Tote Bag is arguably one of the most expensive handbags ever made. The bag is made entirely from crocodile skin, which is pretty rare and expensive.
The skin makes for not only beauty and distinction but also durability and strength. As a bonus, the tote bag has perfectly finished bamboo handles that give the bag a degree of uncommon elegance.
The Soft Stirrup Crocodile Shoulder Bag
Like its predecessor, the Stirrup shoulder bag boasts exemplary craftsmanship and design like no other. It is also made of pure crocodile skin, which gives this specially-shaped handbag bag a life of durability.
The Soft Stirrup Shoulder bag can be used for daily or special occasions, depending on the owner’s preferences.
And lest we forget, this bag has a pure gold buckle to complete it all, which in our opinion, could be why it goes for $30,000.
The Gucci 1921 Medium Shoulder Bag Collection
As a way of keeping the original designs and heart of the company, the Gucci house of fashion continues to make items such as the 1921 medium-shoulder bag collection.
They come in various shapes and sizes, with unique but minimal tweaks for a custom feel, but all the original blueprints remain.
These bags, retailing at $28,990, have found homes in the arms of famous icons and celebrities worldwide.
Not only are they beautiful to look at, but they also have particular stitchings and finishings that make them classy, classic, and ageless. The collection is also made from crocodile skin.
The Gucci Biker Jacket
Remember the 80’s when punk rock was the only true gospel? Well, the house of Gucci took some inspiration from that scene and came up with this very chic biker jacket.
It is made of pure leather and has over 15 different kinds of studs and zippers. The arms, pockets, sleeves, and collars are all planted with these unique metal accessories, giving the jacket a very cool and stand-alone look.
For the price of $18,650, you can add this calf-leather biker jacket to your wardrobe and be the source of envy for all your family and friends.
The Least Expensive Gucci Product
Like any other business, the prices of some products vary for the Gucci brand. The price variations come from factors such as sales, offers, and the addition of new products in the fashion line.
Generally, the cheapest items occur between regular Gucci branded t-shirts and small cosmetics such as lip gloss and lipsticks.
Currently, the cheapest available Gucci product is the Vernis à Ongles Nail Polish, which goes for $33.
So, Why is Gucci So Expensive?
Here are some reasons why Gucci products have some of the most expensive price tags in the fashion industry.
1. Industry Knowledge
Gucci has been in the fashion business for over 100 years. Even though it has not always been the big name that it is now, the fact remains that it has made an undeniable impact on the fashion industry.
This fact alone gives the fashion house the grounds to make and sell everyday products at high, very high prices because it is selling the brand name alongside the retailing items. Similar rules apply to brands such as Apple, Disney, Nike, etc.
2. High-Quality Craftsmanship
While Gucci is not the only fashion brand that deals with leather and other raw products, it certainly is among the few that source pure and high-quality materials.
Getting pure, unadulterated crocodile skin, for instance, is a costly undertaking. Designing, and processing it to become attractive and usable, is even more expensive.
The process that Gucci goes through, from sourcing raw materials to presenting final products, including the labor of expert craftsmen, takes a lot of money, which eventually reflects on the price tags of their products.
3. Exclusivity
Most of Gucci’s products are made on exclusive demand. This means that a customer first appears, then a product is made.
The strategy of exclusivity creates a sense of covetous want and desire among the customers, which plays perfectly into the brand’s marketing.
The more a customer wants a product, the easier it is to sell it at higher than usual prices because they will do or pay whatever amount to get what they want.
4. Using Famous Brand Ambassadors
Whether celebrities are paid to carry and wear Gucci products for the camera or they are actual customers is a topic for discussion.
The fact, however, is that people deemed important and admirable in current society are often seen with the fashion brand’s products, thus instantly creating a worldwide demand thanks to the media.
Most people tend to dress and present themselves like their icons. It is in human nature to copy and imitate behaviors and patterns that we like.
Therefore, with more and more celebrities appearing with Gucci products on media channels, the more the brand gets a sense of prestige and importance.
Consequently, with importance comes expense, which can be seen in the brand’s price tags.
5. Industry Relevance
If you think about it, Gucci would not have 500+ stores and 17,000+ employees worldwide if they only had cheap and widely available products.
Their highly-priced items are one of the main reasons the fashion house continues to grow and expand.
The income generated from the sales allows the business to keep their employees working, their factories running, their products relevant in the market, and their brand name constantly on the cover of media outlets.
The extensive marketing that the company does takes millions of dollars, not to mention the costs of sourcing raw materials and coming up with new designs.
What Kinds of People Buy Gucci
Contrary to popular opinion, Gucci products are available for anyone and everyone to buy. Although it is true that some products are only made on demand and thus never get to sit on store shelves, there are numerous other items available worldwide for all.
Even though the price tags make Gucci a mainly high-end brand, with enough planning and saving, you can own a Gucci-branded product for yourself, even if it is a pair of socks.
Is It Worth It, or Is It Overrated?
Gucci products are clearly worth it; otherwise, people would not spend thousands of dollars on them. If Gucci made mediocre and unfit items while selling them at expensive prices, their con would have caught up with them.
Granted, Gucci products are not for everyone, and some people feel spending $1000+ on a bag is wildly extravagant.
However, some people find these expenses worthwhile. Like anything else in the world, Gucci products have both lovers and haters, and it all boils down to individual preferences.
Read Also: Why is Louis Vuitton So Expensive? (Are They Worth It?)
Where to Buy Original Gucci Products
The Gucci fashion house has stores all over the world. These are the only physical outlets for their original products.
Some shops and boutiques claim to have Gucci items, but if they do not have the Gucci name on their front door, then the products are most likely counterfeit.
Alternatively, you can check out the Gucci website for their product catalogs and other online shopping needs.