MILAN (AP) – The great-grandchildren of Guccio Gucci, who founded the luxury fashion house that bears his name in Florence almost a century ago, are appealing to filmmaker Ridley Scott to respect their family’s legacy in a new film which focuses on a sensational murder.
‘The House of Gucci’, starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, is based on a 1995 book about the murder of one of Gucci’s grandchildren, Maurizio, and the subsequent trial and conviction of his ex-wife. Patrizia Reggiani, portrayed by Lady Gaga, has served 16 years in prison for the murder.
One of Maurizio’s second cousins, Patrizia Gucci, is concerned that the film goes beyond the true crime story and captures the private lives of the Guccio Gucci heirs.
“We are really disappointed. I speak on behalf of the family, “Gucci told The Associated Press on Wednesday. ‘They steal the identity of a family to make a profit, to increase the income of the Hollywood system … Our family has an identity and privacy. We can talk about anything. but there is a boundary that cannot be crossed. ‘
Patrizia Gucci said she issued Ridley Scott’s wife, Giannina Facio, to explain the scope of the film, but received no response. Facio met with members of the Gucci family in the early 2000s to discuss another project that focused on the roles of Patrizia Gucci’s father, Paolo, and grandfather, Aldo, to turn the brand into a global luxury player. to knit. The fact that the production company is not reaching out to the new film only heightens the family’s concerns, she said.
Ridley Scott’s production company did not respond to requests for comment, including from their Italian counterpart.
The Guccis are not the first Italian fashion family to grapple with on-screen depictions of tragic events. The Versace family issued a statement in 2018 about the season of Ryan Murphy’s “American Crime Story” dealing with the murder of fashion house founder Gianni Versace, saying the TV series was not authorized and as a work of fiction should be considered. ‘
Patrizia Gucci said her family will decide what further steps they can take after seeing the film. Their concerns stem from the cast of leading actors to play family members whose stories cross little with Maurizio Gucci’s murder, the lack of current contact with Scott’s production company and inaccuracies they see in the book on which the film is based.
Al Pacino plays Aldo Gucci, who remembers his granddaughter as an expert salesman who opened Gucci stores in Rome via Condotti and in New York, bringing in VIP customers and expanding the brand’s global reach. And Jared Leto plays Paolo Gucci, whose creative contribution included the idea of creating the famous double G logo of the Gucci brand, as well as his brand-plasticized bags and moccasins.
It is this story she tells in her own book, “Gucci, The True Story of a Successful Dynasty”, published in 2015 in Italian.
Patrizia Gucci said paparazzi photos from the ‘House of Gucci’ set were not reassuring at all.
‘My grandfather was a very handsome man, like all the Guccis, and very tall, blue eyes and very elegant. He’s played by Al Pacino, who’s not very tall yet, and this photo shows him as fat, short, with bowls, really ugly. Shameful, because he does not look like him at all, “said Patrizia Gucci.
Letolo, Paolo Gucci, meanwhile, is shown with unkempt hair and a lilac corduroy suit that is not at all in line with his daughter’s memories. ‘Awful, awful. I still feel offended, ”she said.
The Gucci family has not been involved with the Gucci fashion house since 1993, when Maurizio sold its remaining stake to Bahrain company Investcorp. It was later bought by the French group PPR, which is now Kering.
The fashion house collaborates with “The House of Gucci”, which opens its archives for the film industry for wardrobe and props. Salma Hayek, the wife of Francois-Henri Pinault, CEO of Kering, appears in the film. Leto is a good friend of creative director Alessandro Michele.