27 Years Ago, Gucci Released Its Infamous Thong

Since their inception, thongs have been unrivaled as fashion’s most controversial accessory. And though the garment has supplied many polarizing moments over the years (read: Britney Spears’ thong-over-pants look and Manny Santos’ whale tail moment on Degrassi), one specific thong stands alone as the most infamous. Enter: Gucci’s logo G-string.

The Birth Of A Lingerie Icon

One of Gucci’s most exciting (and most notorious) eras was Tom Ford’s reign as creative director, starting in 1994. Throughout his decade-long tenure, Ford injected a sensual new edge into the brand. Though he was responsible for controversial campaigns and nip-baring runways, his most enduring Gucci legacy is rebranding the thong as a high-fashion garment.

His Spring 1997 collection was significant in this movement. On October 6, 1997, Ford sent models down the runway in various thong ensembles. At the time, the undergarment had rarely been seen within the confines of the luxury market — with the exception of Jean Paul Gaultier’s 1996 fashion show.

Needless to say, Ford’s underwear-forward collection was revolutionary and utterly polarizing. Some models wore their undies jutting out of sophisticated sets, some rocked “no pants” thong looks, and others were clad in undergarments only.

Ford’s stringy designs ran the gamut, including sheer monogram options and the most iconic of them all: Gucci’s double-G hardware thong.

Putting fashion’s most-hated undergarment on a design runway garnered shock, and consequently, media backlash. Former New York Times fashion critic Suzy Menkes, for example, wrote a scathing review, claiming Gucci’s controversial collection “relied on gimmicks instead of creative energy.”

Naturally, Celebs Love It

Though hated in its time, the GG-string has become a coveted piece of fashion history in the 27 years since. Recently, the style has made its way onto the bums of some of the brightest fashionistas, Kim Kardashian among them.

In 2018 — years before the Y2K-era whale tail returned to fashion’s zeitgeist — Kardashian helped set the trend in motion. She wore a neon yellow two-piece set with the infamous G-string on full display. Her thong-focused styling made the vintage piece look like body jewelry.

She’s not the only Kardashian to love the blinged-out undies. In 2021, Kourtney was spotted wearing a modern-day swimsuit version while at the beach with Travis Barker.

The undies are still going strong in 2024, with even more A-listers wearing the luxe item. On Jan. 21, for example, supermodel Emily Ratajkowski took the famed thong to the beach. She styled hers in true maximalist fashion, layering it under a mix of clashing prints.

It Costs How Much?!

The original item’s price has spiked in the decades since its release. Per a 2022 Vogue UK article, one Gucci thong of yore sold for £4,435.20 (approximately $5,640) on vintage e-tailer 1stdibs.

Today, Gucci sells a nearly identical version, but in bikini form. Lingerie aficionados can claim the piece for just under $700.

Fashion history, people.