If you happened to catch the 2021 film House of Gucci starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, based on the dramatic real-life events of the Gucci family, then you also caught an interesting glimpse into the life of Domenico De Sole. But that's really just the tip of the iceberg. Born in a small Italian town to a General of the Royal Army, Domenico grew up knowing nothing about fashion, and says "it's a one-in-twenty-billion chance" that he’s wound up where he is today. Beginning his career as a lawyer after graduating from Harvard Law School, Domenico eventually entered the employ of one Rudolfo Gucci during a chaotic time when the family was fighting over shares of the business. Through a series of extraordinary events Domenico landed a much larger role in the company, taking over as CEO of the Gucci Group, ultimately saving it from near bankruptcy. Simultaneously Domenico championed a promising new up-and-coming fashion designer from America by the name of Tom Ford. And after leaving Gucci, Domenico helped Tom build his own brand from scratch, nurturing the company into a multi-billion-dollar business. That seems like enough to earn Domenico a place in the fashion hall of fame, but it still doesn't even scratch the surface of his impact on the industry. Our conversation took place at an annual convention for the National Retail Federation, and we had a limited time to speak on stage, but quite honestly, you couldn't cover half the stuff this man has done even if you had all day. But we managed to cover a lot of ground in our chat, so settle in for a taste of the incredible life of Domenico De Sole.

Thanks for tuning in to episode 28. We hope you enjoy it!

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