2004 : February: Ford shows his final collection for Gucci. A reviewer calls it "a fabulous farewell in which this perfection-obsessed superstar of fashion seized the moment to run his eye over everything he has achieved for the brand, and then do it better." March: Serge Weinberg makes it clear he no longer wants a superstar of fashion helming Gucci. "The debate about whether it's the designer or the brand that is more important is open," he says.) PPR announces that men's and women's collections will now be designed by a team of three former design assistants-Alessandra Facchinetti for womenswear, John Ray for menswear, and Frida Giannini for accessories. December: Gucci stores in the United States break their own one-day sales record, pulling in nearly $4 million in a single day.
1982 : Paolo's lawsuit dismissed by a Federal judge. The family persuades him to return as designer. However, according to a $13.3 million lawsuit soon to be filed-prompted in part by a now infamous fist fight between Paolo and his cousin Maurizio and uncles Rodolfo and Giorgio in a Florence boardroom-he is prevented from properly functioning in that role.