The Style Watcher: GUCCI CELEBRATES HERITAGE WITH ITS ARTISAN CORNER IN TORONTO

Gucci will host a private cocktail party in the Toronto store on October 15th and present the Artisan Corner. This unique event brings the craftsmanship of Gucci’s Florentine leather goods factory directly to its clientele. The House's most skilled artisans will be stationed at custom-built workshops. As they assemble some of Gucci's most iconic handbags, customers can witness first hand the meticulous attention to detail and superb craftsmanship that is involved in the production of every item in Gucci’s leather goods collection. On October 15th and 16th, guests will be able to see Florentine artisans as they hand-stitch handles, assemble bamboo tassels, prepare leather strips for woven stitching and hand emboss customer’s initials, offering a unique viewing of Gucci’s time honored traditions. In addition, each handbag will feature a special inside plaque embossed with the location and date. The Artisan Corner includes custom work tables, a sewing machine, a leather stand, and metal tools, as well as additional background materials which show the products’ evolution from mood board to sketches. The craftsmen will focus on finishing the New Bamboo and New Jackie– two of Gucci’s most iconic handbag designs that have been reinvented by Creative Director Frida Giannini. The original Gucci Bamboo was created in 1947 and was reintroduced in the Spring Summer 2010 collection. The Gucci New Bamboo is comprised of 140 separate pieces which are hand-assembled by an expert artisan in Gucci’s Florentine workshops. It is crafted in the same manner as the original and requires 13 hours of work to ensure its perfect details. The Gucci New Jackie debuted on the Spring Summer 2009 runway, but was first created in the 1950s and became the preferred accessory for Jacqueline Onassis, who was photographed toting numerous versions throughout the1960s. America’s former First Lady was so devoted to the style that the bag soon assumed the moniker ‘The Jackie’. The New Jackie captures the universal appeal of the hugely popular original. Every detail has been tended to with attention, including the striking, oversized leather topstitching that has been hand-crafted and is borrowed from artisan saddle making techniques unique to Florence.

Here are some photo's from the Event on October 15th held at the Bloor Street Store that we were invited to.