No matter what the stock market is up to, prices of vintage Pucci clothing continue to skyrocket. Investment in a fabulous Pucci garment is like buying a Fifth Avenue apartment with Central Park views: it will appreciate over time and there will always be a market for it. Everyone loves and covets Pucci, but BUYER BEWARE! Bright and boldly colored Pucci from the sixties and seventies is hard to find in excellent, let alone good, condition. Many pieces were made in silk jersey which snags and stains easily; and cotton thread disintegrates over time, which means that if you sneeze in a vintage Pucci dress that is a tad bit too tight, the seams will come apart, particularly at the zipper. In 1960, Emilio Pucci signed a contract with Formfit Rogers to create geometric print underwear and night apparel. Many sellers try to pass off the nightgowns as dresses, but they are really too transparent to wear in an urban setting, unless that's your thing. From Marilyn Monroe to Catherine Deneuve, the most fashionable women in history have worn Pucci. Here are some tips when buying, should you be lucky to find a Pucci:
• Check the fabric for the telltale signature "Emilio" written throughout
• Pucci runs very, very small. A vintage Pucci size 10 = a modern 4
• Solid color Pucci (though a favorite of Marilyn Monroe) is not worth it, stick with prints and patterns
• Check the underarm of a dress or shirt for stains and stink, both will be hard to remove
• Emilio Pucci for Formfit Rogers is not as rare as the velvet or jersey pieces, and should cost significantly less
• Check the hem to see if the banding has been removed or altered. The band pattern around the bottom should match the neck line and the wrists. If the item was altered, it is worth less
• Check to see if buttons are missing on silk blouses - there may be one inside on the seam, or a new one can be made with extra fabric from the seam
• Solid investments include Pucci staples: silk jersey dresses, velvet jackets, cotton outfits (shirts and pants/skirt), silk blouses