Cover The iconic Blondie logo is a reference to the house's founder Guccio Gucci (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
The iconic Blondie logo is a reference to the house's founder Guccio Gucci (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
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The Gucci Blondie, which took centre stage at the brand’s Cruise 2025 show in London, reveals an enduring legacy of artisanal craftsmanship
The early Seventies was a period marked by disruption. It was the age of hippie, disco and punk evolving from the free-spirited Sixties. In fashion, particularly for one prestigious Italian house, the decade’s bold and liberated character manifested in a logo known as the Gucci Blondie, a tribute to founder Guccio Gucci, featuring two overlapping Gs facing each other to form a circle. The first bags sporting this emblem were crafted in suede, an oft-used material by the brand during that era, embodying the laid-back yet sophisticated fashion of the time.
However, style is cyclical, and everything eventually comes full circle. In 2023, the Gucci Blondie returned to a new handbag collection, its distinctive design and rounded silhouette quickly captivating the contemporary audience. At once, the bag became a testament to the enduring allure of the house’s archival codes and how Gucci achieves such a quality through its uncompromising craftsmanship and attention to detail.
Above The Gucci Blondie is marked by its round shape, saddle making-inspired stitching and high-quality materials (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
The Gucci Blondie is marked by its round shape, saddle making-inspired stitching and high-quality materials (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
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Every aspect—from the saddle making-inspired stitching to the leather handles and logo—is designed to enhance the bag’s form and function. The leather emblem exhibits a three-dimensional padded effect, accentuated by contrasting ivory stitching that emphasises its plump shape. In enamelled brass, the other version finishes with techniques initially employed by Gucci artisans in the Seventies for its jewellery, giving the interlocking Gs a high-frequency sheen.
The reimagined Blondie comes in sizes, colours and materials, the latter chosen for their combined refinement and durability. The standout option in cuoio Toscano (Italian for “Tuscan leather”) becomes a defining motif of the collection, providing a signature softness and luxurious hand-feel.
See also: Made in Italy: The story of Gucci through its bags and shoes
Above Contrasting ivory stitching on the leather emblem (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
Above An artisan begins work on the Gucci Blondie bag (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
Contrasting ivory stitching on the leather emblem (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
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Such plushness is achieved by the house’s minimal use of chemical treatments with specific oils, followed by a careful process of tumbling, finishing and pressing to create an extremely natural finish. This gives the high-quality leather a unique character that develops over time, with distinctive markings, wrinkles, veins and slight variations in colour enhancing the appeal and inherent beauty of the material as it ages.
Among other versions of the Blondie in soft suede and canvas, the one in GG Monogram canvas, a material designed for durability without sacrificing softness, is a real sight for sore eyes. Crafted using a jacquard technique, the canvas features a mix of weaves that highlight the house’s iconic pattern, with various coloured threads creating a subtly three-dimensional effect. It is trimmed with Tuscan leather to enhance the bag’s silhouette.
Above Variations of the Blondie (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
Above Variations of the Blondie (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
Variations of the Blondie (Image: Courtesy of Gucci)
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The new Blondie collection likewise offers a size for every occasion. Available in mini, small, medium and maxi versions, each bag has a detachable shoulder strap and allows for multiple styling options, whether worn cross-body, over the shoulder or in hand.
As the house of Gucci continues to innovate and evolve, the Blondie will be a fixture in the archives of fashion history. It is a beloved classic that always stays in style.
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Trained as a student journalist, Mac’s knack for writing was a serendipitous discovery. Years later and she can’t imagine doing anything else. When she isn’t typing away on a story, she revels in being lost in a new city, revisiting a cosy film or sitcom, and idling away with her dogs.
