Gucci family threatens to sue over Gaga movie

THE Gucci fashion family yesterday threatened legal action after claiming they are portrayed as ‘hooligans’ in a new film.

House Of Gucci, created by leading British director Sir Ridley Scott and starring Lady Gaga, tells how former fashion house boss Maurizio Gucci, 46, was assassinated in 1995.

He was shot dead by a hitman hired by his ex-wife Patrizia who later served 18 years in jail. A letter signed by the Italian family said: ‘The Gucci family reserve the right to take every initiative to protect their name and image and those of their loved ones.’ They said they were offended by the depiction of Patrizia – played by Lady Gaga – as ‘a woman definitively convicted of ordering the murder of Maurizio Gucci... as a victim’. The letter complained that former company chairman Aldo

Gucci and relatives were portrayed as ‘hooligans, ignorant and insensitive to the world around them’. The family has not been involved with the brand since 1993 – it is now owned by French group Kering.

The film, which also stars Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons, was released in Britain to mixed reviews this month. Aldo’s daughter Patricia Gucci previously accused Scott of ‘stealing the identity of a family to make a profit’, but the director hit back at criticism, citing the Guccis’ chequered history.