Gucci Heir Debuting Her AGCF Collection With a Rodeo Drive Outpost in Beverly Hills
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Alexandra Gucci Zarini, the granddaughter of Aldo Gucci, is following in her family’s footsteps by opening a handbag and jewelry store on Rodeo Drive, one block from a Gucci flagship.
Zarini, who lives in Los Angeles, feels it is only fitting that her first store should be near the current Gucci outpost, the Italian label chaired and expanded internationally by her grandfather from 1953 to 1986. He brought the House of Gucci to the United States and was one of the first luxury brands to open on Rodeo Drive in 1968.
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Zarini’s 1,000-square-foot store at 479 North Rodeo Drive marks the debut of her fashion company called AGCF. The 39-year-old, who grew up in England, New York and California, studied art and design at Cavendish College in London and studied fashion at the Otis College of Art and Design in Los Angeles.
She didn’t finish her fashion studies, but her family legacy was always with her, said Zarini, who is married and has two children. “My passion was always to pursue art and fashion designing and the creative arts,” she said.
With that in mind, she recently launched AGCF, a quiet luxury brand that encompasses handbags and jewelry, and one day could expand to include sunglasses and accessories.
The handbags consist of 10 styles, including totes, clutches and a bucket bag sustainably sourced of suede and leather coming from a tannery in Florence, Italy. The handbags are made in Italy and Spain in colors including black, off-white, taupe and gray. All handbags include a gold oval coin engraved with a unique first edition serial number. Retail prices range from $1,400 to $2,900.
The collection of semi-fine jewelry mixes luxury with sustainability, with necklaces, earrings, bracelets and rings made from recycled 18-karat gold, sterling silver and palladium. Responsibly lab-grown diamonds, Japanese Akoya pearls, smoky quartz and gray spinel are used. The jewelry collection’s retail prices go from $200 to $1,500.
Zarini envisions her store being an homage to her grandfather, whose family’s turmoil was chronicled in the book “The House of Gucci,” by Sara Gay Forden. It was later made into a movie in 2021 showing the conflicts surrounding the clan that involved prison time for tax evasion, family infighting over brand control and the assassination of Aldo’s cousin, Maurizio, at the behest of Maurizio’s wife, played by Lady Gaga. The Gucci family eventually sold its stake in the company and hasn’t been involved since 1993. It is now owned by French-based Kering.
“I just wanted to dedicate this store to my grandfather because he was betrayed in many ways by many people, his own family and the justice system,” Zarini said. “So, we chose to open a store on Rodeo Drive basically for him.”
The Gucci heir envisions her brand upholding the sophistication and elegance embraced by her grandfather, and is pledging a percentage of sales and 20 percent of profits to charitable organizations.
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