The real story behind House of Gucci is wilder than you could imagine

It’s a story stranger than fiction. No, wait. It’s even stranger than that. Of course, I’m talking about House of Gucci, the long-awaited Ridley Scott film starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver that’s now in cinemas everywhere. More than just a glitzy fashion film, this is a delicious cinematic cocktail comprising murder, incarceration, family rivalries and £5,000 handbags.

The film, which was adapted from Sara Gay Forden’s 2001 non-fiction book of the same name, chronicles the rise and fall of the Gucci family dynasty. And what a fall it was. In case you don’t know the story, allow me to get you up to speed. Maurizio Gucci, played in the film by Driver, was the son of Rodolfo Gucci, whose father, Guccio Gucci, founded the luxury fashion brand in his own name in 1906.

Following Rodolfo’s death, Maurizio acquired a majority stake in the company. This didn’t sit well with the other members of the Gucci family, of whom there were many; nor did the fact that Maurizio married Milanese socialite Patrizia Reggiani (Gaga). Cue a few lawsuits, the odd imprisonment, and an explosive divorce in 1994 that left Reggiani with a €2.5m (£2.2m) settlement and a yearly alimony payment of €650,000 (she famously described this as “a mere bowl of lentils”).

One year after his divorce was finalised, Maurizio was shot dead outside his office. Two years later, his ex-wife was arrested for facilitating her ex-husband’s death. During the trial she denied any involvement, but after three people involved in the murder confessed to their own part in the plot and revealed Patrizia’s role in orchestrating it, she was sentenced to 29 years in prison, reduced to 26 years on appeal.

Now, if that wasn’t enough, there are a few more reasons why this story remains so compelling. And they all involve Patrizia. After being told she was about to be escorted to prison, the glamorous clotheshorse allegedly tried to leave the house in dark sunglasses and a fur coat. It was only after a police officer suggested this look might be a little inappropriate that she got changed.

Then there’s the fact that, since leaving prison in 2016 (she only served 18 years), Patrizia, now 72, hasn’t exactly remained scarce, having been photographed in Milan numerous times in flamboyant clothing. On one occasion she was pictured walking down the street with a parrot on her shoulder.

There’s also the way she criticised the House of Gucci filmmakers for not facilitating a meeting between her and Lady Gaga prior to shooting the film. Speaking to ANSA, an Italian wire service, she said: “I am rather annoyed at the fact that Lady Gaga is playing me in the new Ridley Scott film without having had the consideration and sensibility to come and meet me.”

Finally, there’s the unforgettable comment she made on an Italian reality TV show after leaving prison. When asked why she didn’t shoot Maurizio herself, Patrizia responded: “My eyesight is not so good. I didn’t want to miss.”

Yours,

Olivia Petter

Lifestyle reporter