A career in high fashion was practically a
birthright for Patrizia Gucci. She is a descendant of Guccio Gucci—who founded his
eponymous leather goods company in 1921—and the
daughter of Paolo Gucci, who later grew the brand into
a full-fledged fashion house. But after 12 years overseeing
international public relations for the family biz, she left to
follow her true calling: a modern-day Renaissance woman
who counts painter, stylist, novelist, journalist, tile artist,
furniture designer, interiors maven, and even—yes—fashion
designer, among her many job titles. Creative juices may run
in her veins, but her professional success is the by-product of
hard work, innate talent, and significant charm.
So, too, is her new home, a cozy cottage tucked into
the hills surrounding Florence. “The location is ideal,” Gucci
notes. “It’s a quiet, peaceful hamlet that’s just 10 minutes
from the Ponte Vecchio.” (Twenty minutes, perhaps, for those
not driving Italian-style). She was drawn to the 19th century
building—once a warehouse for nearby oil fields—for its
Tuscan bearing and views of the Poggio Imperiale through
English-style casement windows. The house is upsidedown,
with a living room on the top floor and a ground level housing
a kitchen/dining area, bedroom and terrace abloom with
