“Since the time of Cain and Abel, family disputes have been marked by the irrational and impulsive decision of those involved, the fierce battles which ensue, and the senseless destruction they cause”
The dispute within the Gucci family had been publicized for a span of several years that it was entrenched in popular culture. These conflicts involved different generations with clashes between brothers, father and son, and spouses. Feeling left out in the company Aldo’s son Paolo made several attempts at gaining control in the family business. But, the lack of skill in the fashion field rendered him incompetent to run his father’s share in the empire. Therefore, he set on using treacherous maneuvers to oust the other family members from their positions in the company. Case in point, exposing his father’s tax evasion that landed Aldo in prison in the United States. Paolo’s efforts to design his own line with Gucci's trademark, even using lawsuits, would persist for the subsequent years. In the quotation, the judge ruling one of the lawsuits in 1988 encapsulates the absurd nature of family feuds.
“Elegance is like manners…You can’t be polite only on Wednesday or Thursday. If you are elegant, you should be every day of the week. If you are not, then it’s another matter.”
The Gucci brand is synonymous with high-quality and elegant designs and fashion since its initial inception. Therefore, the company worked to uphold the standard with Aldo dedicating his life towards that endeavor. The quote is his statement towards the move to create more practical and sporty apparel for women. In an effort to diversify the brand, Aldo adopted a vision of exuding elegance in everyday wear apart from high-fashion dresses. Nevertheless, under his headship, the company would go on to make fake replicas of bags and apparel for a high revenue stream. This would contradict the brand’s message later on bringing to question the ethics of advancing the company’s name. In the consequent years, Gucci would proceed to re-adopt their core values that ensure elegance without comprising quality and authenticity.
“Aldo and Rodolfo became the sole controlling shareholders of the Gucci empire, with 50 percent each—a shareholding ratio that would profoundly condition Gucci’s future.”
The statement highlights the division that would lead to the detrimental fall of the brand under the headship of the Gucci family. Following the hand down, the brothers would proceed to incorporate their sons in the business causing more disputes. The condition the split created is the idea that everyone had the freedom to assume power and make decisions. The power struggle between Aldo, Paolo, and Maurizio would escalate to the point of betraying the family through lawsuits and hostile takeovers. As such, the rivalry almost brought down the company as Maurizio—after gaining full control—made random and detrimental decisions. By the 1990s, the family members had lost all positions in top management leaving the company under Investcorp’s control.
