ENGLISH TEXTS
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GUCCI, THE FIRST LOAFER WITH A HORSEBIT
By Cécile Adonias
Founded in 1921 by Guccio Gucci in Florence, the Gucci house initially focused on high-end craftsmanship of bags, travel goods, and products for riders and horses. Over the years, the Gucci product line has grown. Following a trip to New York where he saw many people wearing loafers, Aldo Gucci, Guccio’ s son, developed the brand’ s now-iconic loafer: the Horsebit Loafer 1953. Its name says it all, handmade loafers, a golden horsebit, and 1953, the year of its creation. This horsebit would become Gucci’ s signature and would appear in one form or another in nearly all collections, regardless of the artistic director. These shoes have spanned generations and have been worn by many celebrities, both in France and abroad. The loafer has been reinterpreted in countless versions and styles for men and women, for grand occasions as well as home wear. The Horsebit Loafer 1953 requires no fewer than 54 steps to make- enough to guarantee comfort throughout a full day at the races!.
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CHRONICLES
OF THE WORLD
� PAGE 78
Igor de Maack Global Economy Associate director at the wealth management firm Vitalepargne, Igor de Maack is a reference in financial market analysis. He has also invested in horses( Écurie Nininoé) out of passion, thanks to his friendship with Fabien Rycroft( Écurie Elag). Initially active in harness racing, he has diversified into flat racing, notably with horses such as Lindy and Onesto.
Katherine Ford UK Passionate about racing, Katherine left her native Yorkshire to spend six months in France in the early 2000s... and almost 25 years later, she is still there. Now a freelance journalist and translator, she has discovered and introduced racecourses around the world for Equidia, and regularly presents French racing on Sky Sports Racing. She is also a breeder and owner of Thoroughbreds.
Vicki Gibbins Ireland + Sales As Managing Editor of LAB Racing, Vicki Gibbins has a vast knowledge and experi- ence of racing and the wider equestrian world. With a background specialising in bloodstock, her writing can been read in a number of publications globally, including International Thoroughbred, Racing & Sports. Vicki also represents Trackside – an on-course paddock analysis service used by Weatherbys and various other customers – and is responsible for the publication of L’ informateur.
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UK
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KATHERINE FORD’ S CHRONICLE
GIRL POWER
Female jockeys made headlines over the past month, starting with Rachael Blackmore, who hit the front pages with the announcement of her retirement. The Irishwoman’ s fame extends far beyond the boundaries of the sport in which she shattered the glass ceiling. She caught the world’ s attention by winning the legendary Grand National in Liverpool in 2021, and earned the respect and admiration of the racing world through the entirety of her career. At 35, she is hanging up her boots
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