The Washington Club was pleased to recently host designer Giorgio Gucci as our guest during his first visit to the nation’s Capitol. Mr. Gucci is the grandson of Guccio Gucci, founder of the eponymous fashion house and was in town after fashion week events to testify before congress and announce the launch of his Giorgio G line of cognacs.
First impressions first: as one would expect, Mr. Gucci was dressed in Italian style with a pink shirt, purple tie, black pants and black ‘venetian’ style loafers - eschewing the foundational shoe of his family’s empire (and denying me the chance to match shoes as well as wits). As it was still not yet fully fall he wore a bright royal blue sport coat, a fashionable alternative to the standard navy blazer. He arrived with his retinue of private secretaries, photographers, and friends who mingled with the assembled guests. Although clearly not his first language, he courteously spoke in English and was fluent enough to show off his charm.
Mr. Gucci does seem to possess all of the received opinions of the European Heir, including an almost-pagan Gaia-hypothesis view of the environment. However, he was much sounder when he spent the majority of his brief speeches discussing the subjects he knows best. Because this was a working visit where Mr. Gucci was testifying before congress on the issue of intellectual property, he had no doubt organized his stump opinions.
He noted the tragic conditions that most producers of knock-off products inflict on their workers. Because the are already operating in the grey-market, if not the outright black-market, they are already skirting legal issues and what’s one more violation for them, especially if it lines their faux-purses? In addition, because of their frequent anonymity, they do not feel the pressure that a globally-recognized brand would to ensure good labor for good products.
Mr. Gucci concluded with a brief statement which everyone present agreed with: Women do bring much joy to life, and when we show our appreciation for that joy they deserve the real thing, not an imitation.
É vero.
First impressions first: as one would expect, Mr. Gucci was dressed in Italian style with a pink shirt, purple tie, black pants and black ‘venetian’ style loafers - eschewing the foundational shoe of his family’s empire (and denying me the chance to match shoes as well as wits). As it was still not yet fully fall he wore a bright royal blue sport coat, a fashionable alternative to the standard navy blazer. He arrived with his retinue of private secretaries, photographers, and friends who mingled with the assembled guests. Although clearly not his first language, he courteously spoke in English and was fluent enough to show off his charm.
Mr. Gucci does seem to possess all of the received opinions of the European Heir, including an almost-pagan Gaia-hypothesis view of the environment. However, he was much sounder when he spent the majority of his brief speeches discussing the subjects he knows best. Because this was a working visit where Mr. Gucci was testifying before congress on the issue of intellectual property, he had no doubt organized his stump opinions.
He noted the tragic conditions that most producers of knock-off products inflict on their workers. Because the are already operating in the grey-market, if not the outright black-market, they are already skirting legal issues and what’s one more violation for them, especially if it lines their faux-purses? In addition, because of their frequent anonymity, they do not feel the pressure that a globally-recognized brand would to ensure good labor for good products.
Mr. Gucci concluded with a brief statement which everyone present agreed with: Women do bring much joy to life, and when we show our appreciation for that joy they deserve the real thing, not an imitation.
É vero.
(Jeremy Skog is an economist in Washington, D.C., and holds degrees from Dartmouth, Tufts, and the University of Pennsylvania. He is also a patron of the arts and writes at Call of the Loon and for the Washington Examiner's Local Opinion Zone.)