I bought this book simply because I enjoy a true crime book, and I also wanted to watch the film that was released that was based on this book. I hate to watch a film before I read the book, so I felt like I needed to get on this one. I have been reading a lot of books about famous family dynasties lately, so this is another one to throw into the mix. I bought this for the specific crime incident, the murder of Maurizio Gucci, but I learned so much more than that about the family and business.

The House of Gucci was founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci in Florence, Italy. He began by selling imported leather luggage and bags, but eventually released unique creations. His son, Aldo, helped make the business a worldwide phenomenon. During World War II, Gucci began using various materials in his creations, as there was a leather embargo. They also made the boots for the Italian military during this period. After the war, Gucci divided up the company between his sons- Aldo, Vasco, and Rodolfo. The sons launched several shops throughout Europe and the United States, drawing star clientele. The grandsons of Guccio Gucci created several controversies and feuds that are well known to those interested in fashion.

Maurizio Gucci was the son of Rodolfo Gucci. Maurizio married Patrizia Reggiani in 1972. They had two daughters, Allegra and Alessandra. Maurizio made some poor business decisions, and even had a feud with his uncle, Aldo. In 1985, Maurizio left his wife, got himself a girlfriend, and sold his shares in Gucci. Patrizia was convicted of hiring a hitman to kill her ex-husband in 1995. She was imprisoned for 18 years, being released in 2016.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked learning about these more modern historical figures, compared to the royals I generally read about. It was a nice change of pace. I hope the movie does the book and family justice, though I have seen some disparaging comments from members of the Gucci family about both the book and film.