Gucci Sandal Review | Sustainability, Fit, Price and More!
Florence, Italy, 1921, Guccio Gucci founded the famous fashion house, Gucci. Before starting his luxury line, Gucci worked as a porter at the Savoy Hotel in London. He soon after took up leather craftsmanship after being inspired by the pretentious and ritzy hotel guests. As ironic as it sounds, Gucci primarily crafted & sold leather goods, and like his competitors, he mainly focused on travel items.
British aristocrats swarmed the brand as Gucci began branching into equestrian equipment, hence the iconic horse bit. Expansion follows as Gucciās sons, Aldo, Vancouver & Rodolfo began working for the company. Leather became hard to acquire & the brothers were forced to source different materials like a specially woven canapa, or hemp, which created Gucciās now-famous interlocking diamond symbol.
After WWII, Aldo Gucci created the brandās first pigskin bag & the material became signature for the brandā¦ low and behold, Gucciās first Saddle-shaped-bamboo-handled bag. Gucci continued to make notable strides to be an iconic fashion house:
1950ās Gucci expanded its stores to locations in Rome & Milan.
1951 Gucci embraced another signature detail, the famous red and green stripe.
1953 store expansion into the U.S. including a store at the Savoy Plaza Hotel in New York City.
1953 Guccio Gucci passed
Late 1953 Elizabeth Taylor was photographed carrying bamboo-handled bags & wearing the horse it loafer
Itās no question Gucci has been renowned as the influential & powerful fashion house that it is. Now the brand is popular within the younger, street fashion demographic & not only those with celebrity status or immense wealth. We will see what Gucci has in store in the next decade & what will spark inspiration for the fashion house.
Gucci is owned by Kering (to name a few, Alexander McQueen, Saint Laurent, Balenciaga, Bottega Vaneta, Brioni) who is working hard towards driving sustainability and ethical necessity within all of its brands.
Gucci receives a 3/5 on the sustainability scale.
In terms of its environmental impacts, the brand has taken necessary steps to reduce its environmental footprint by reducing materials & processes that are harmful to the ecosystem. Though not all of the materials used by Gucci are sustainable, the brand has made large strides towards implementing some eco-friendly materials, including recycled materials, along with its leather, animal hair and animal skin.
Though the brand still uses these exotic materials, it does use down certified by the Responsible Down Standard, and sources wool from non-mulesed sheep. Targeting the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions generated from its own operations and supply chain, as well as radioing chromium and other hazardous chemicals from tanning processes was pivotal in its journey to brand sustainability.
There is still not enough information regarding Gucciās labor standards, but some of its supply chain is certified by the Social Accountability International - Gucciās SA8000 Policy. Gucci implements practices to encourage diversity and inclusion, and has policies in place to protect suppliers and workers in its supply chain from the impacts of COVID-19. There is not enough evidence to claim whether Gucci ensures payment of a livable wage - the brand received a 48% in the Fashion Transparency Index, while also scoring a 100% in the Policy and Commitments section.
True to size, 99%. Unless you have a longer second or third toe, the shoe should 99.9% fit true to size. I generally wear a 37.5 and I purchased a 37.5. I have noticed that Gucci fits more narrow than other brands, so if you have a wider foot, I would recommend ordering from a store like Nordstrom so that you can return it [unworn] if for some reason it does not fit. I have a small and narrow foot. To be completely transparent, the only thing Iāve noticed that is a little bothersome is that I have to slightly grip the shoe with my toes while I walk to keep the sandal from sliding off. I now do this subconsciously, but I have noticed it. My mother owns these sandals as well and she does not have that problem. She ordered a 38 and has a slightly wider foot than me.
Though the price on the T-strap Sandal has increased over the last two years, I would still purchase this sandal again. The $550-$590 Gucci sandal is offered in three different colors: Platino, Mystic White & Black (all linked here). I have no regrets with this luxury purchase. Not only is the shoe stylish, classic and minimal, but the leather feels soft and the footbed is comfortable. There is a rubber sole on the bottom which helps from sliding around on certain surfaces. I have owned many leather-bottom shoes before and walking on surfaces such as carpet or tile can be a little scary. I would give the shoe 4/5 stars in price (5 being most expensive).
Iāve never been a person who likes sandals that go in-between my toes. I have always thought it was uncomfortable and annoying. These sandals, however, are not uncomfortable in-between my toes. The leather is very soft. 5/5 on the comfort rating. I donāt really have much more to report on here because they are just really easy and really comfortable to wear everyday (& everywhere).
Overall, I would give this sandal a 5/5. I wish that the company was making greater strides towards its ethical and sustainable responsibility, but considering the efforts already made, I am comfortable making purchases from Gucci knowing they are transparently working towards the greater good. Even though they are on the pricier end, their comfort, style and versatility (as you will see below) is exceptional. I am in love with these sandals and I am considering purchasing another color. Though my style is relatively casual, I have gathered some outfits from the archives to show you how to style the sandals! See below:
