Divorce or Reconcile? Gucci's Path into the Briar Patch

Flee, or Work on it?

Aldo Gucci would be doing cartwheels down Las Vegas Boulevard if the late fashion scion were alive today.  Why?  Because of the avenue is bedazzled with the golden backlit glow behind that gorgeous capitalized Garamondesque “GUCCI” lettering that adorns its five stores along the short 2.2 mile distance between the Fontainebleau and the Cosmopolitan properties in the City of Sin.

Aldo was a phenomenal case study in pandering to the fully-uddered new sensibility of maximum indulgence with everything from water bottle holders to cursory items of the household.  His contemporaries in the current brand scenario have gone a step further to milk the consumer by introducing such things as logoed luggage stickers for $80.

By saturating the marketplace with so many stores holding a smattering of irrelevant tchotchkes (despite the number of newly-enriched available customers flush with casino winnings), notable brands like Gucci have thumbed their nose at the true definition of “luxury” (also known as “amenance” as the alternative to the overused term that has lost all meaning).  Turning over any brand of note into the wrong hands – whether it be a cherished private club, restaurant, hotel/private condo residences, or corporate enterprise – will garner similar slippage in prestige.  And sadly enough, it happens under our collective eyes all the time and without much warning and reputation is compromised in perpetuity.

While it is true that Dawn Mello and Tom Ford were able to salvage the brand from becoming the duty-free choice du jour for a good run of success (1989 to circa 2000), the string of so-called creative directors had degenderized and fumbled with the company’s unmistakable ethos of pure sophistication after its Renaissance period that peaked a couple of years before Ford’s departure in 2004.  Coupled with endorsements by celebrities festooned in bright head-to-toe interlocking G’s ensembles, the company has punted a world-class brand foul making true Gucciites wonder, “Did I take a wrong turn somewhere?”

The answer, “yes, you did!”  In the case of that stretch of Las Vegas Boulevard, you forfeited your right to explore the true essence of luxury the moment you entered any of the MGM Resort properties on the Strip.  While remnants of the creative genius of Steve and Elaine Wynn still remain within the locales they created like the stunning fountains and Chihuly entry ceiling sculpture at the Bellagio, the magic of the legendary attention to detail and prolific sense of customer care has left the building – almost as if a rewind button is pushed on a daily routine without much thought to what might be the next thoughtful strategic plan.   Through saturation, Gucci did the same thing through its bevy of convenience locations – except for one where idealized memories of gracious excess is an oasis in a sea of glitzy monotony.

Imagine a place where sophistication is still an acceptable norm – where a classic sunglassed woman in a Chanel suit is welcomed through the grand entrance at the same time a cadre of young bikini-clad women emerging from a stretch SUV are politely referred to use the side door.  An aura of security, sense of spectacular self-awareness, and opulent deliciousness is embedded in everything including each of the tassels that adorn many of its decorative arts.  The resort that bears the Wynn name is once again without its creator – but remains in the succession of other properties created by its founder as the sole outpost of exquisite taste on the legendary boulevard.  As such, the only location befitting a legendary brand like Gucci is within its perimeter berm.

What can brands like Gucci learn from these observations?

Exclusivity is not a negative:  It takes a number of different forms including scarcity.  While the original Gucci location that I remembered in my 20’s at the Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace was iconic and squarely identified with the logo ensconced in one of the Roman temple pediment façades, the premium space is now occupied by Zegna with Gucci dwarfed next door.  While all notable design houses have taken similar tracks in littering their presence with wild abandon throughout the city, the psychological underpinning is the reality that many mainline luxury brands are no longer regarded as special or relevant.  The demographic will seek out the product it desires and has no problem traveling several blocks to access it – and the Wynn is the natural point of entry for those who demand exacting quality.  If a product is available on every street corner, it loses its mystique and allure.

Personalization [Not Poison¹] is our Potion: I was most certain that Gucci had given up its premier abode in the Forum Shops for a space next door, so I decided to call the local (702) phone number for the store.  I was promptly routed to “Gucci Client Services” where I asked to be connected to the store floor and was tersely rebuked – “we can answer anything you’d like to know.”  I asked my question about the space and was reassured by the imperious robotron woman void of personality that they had not moved.  Not satisfied, I called the Forum Shops Leasing Office that confirmed that they indeed did move.  The point being is that the relationships the demographic desires is not with central casting, but with professionals in the field at stores who can answer as a matter of conversation simple questions like, “what do you see foreign buyers gravitating to?” or “what’s the best show right now on the Strip?”

Commonalities and conversations build rapport which leads to creating opportunities that foster brand allegiance and evangelism.  While I have been a leading advocate of Gucci since my youth, it has done its best to file for divorce through a series of outrageous actions that only Aldo’s edgy spirit could conjure to make me flee from such matrimonial bliss.  Keeping it local while retaining a big picture of style is how on-point brands thrive.  The Wynn’s overarching ‘attitude’ reinforces what everyone employed on its property (regardless of company affiliation) shares about the root of its success: ambassadors of exquisite customer service everywhere and at all times.

Even the historic greats like Gucci and numerous other style icons can sometimes meander into the briar patch on accident to follow the allure of cold hard currency.  The smallest of details mean so much to the demographic and its perception of the brand.  Staying power in the luxury market is defined by careful patience that takes years to nurture – and it is our hope that Gucci will regain its position that would make the spirit of founder Guccio beam with rejuvenated pride.

¹“Poison is my Potion” was an advertising campaign by Dior to support the perfume of the same name in 1987/88.  It is said the campaign was a spirited response to Yves St. Laurent’s Opium and Calvin Klein’s Obsession.