In 1964, Tokyo would host the Olympics, heralding a new era for the country and a re-introduction to the world stage. As the Bullet Train was completed and the sweeping lines of the Kenzō Tange-designed Yoyogi Stadium rose across the Tokyo skyline, Japan was cast as a country of peace and prosperity; a technologically-savvy nation recovered from the ravages of World War II. This optimistic mood would permeate the nation, luring an influx of international brands, as the games were beamed across the world via the first-ever use of satellite.
These included Gucci, the historic Italian luggage house which was seeing a renaissance of its own. Adopted by the burgeoning jet-set classes of the 1960s, its newly introduced double-G logo, Horsebit loafers and top-handle handbags became internationally recognised symbols of status and style. This was cemented in 1961 when Jacqueline Kennedy first carried what would be later renamed the ‘Jackie’ bag. Three years later, Gucci would arrive in Japan, a 60-year landmark the house celebrates this month with ‘Then and Now', an exhibition at the Gucci Ginza Gallery in Tokyo.
