Fashion, money, love, crime, and a parrot – what is Lady Gucci doing now?

She refused to work even in prison, saying she had never worked a day in her life and wasn’t about to start now—even though it would have made her eligible for parole. While serving her sentence, she kept a ferret in her prison cell, despite a strict ban on animals. After her release, she returned to being the star she always was, and when it came to hiring a hitman to get rid of her “problematic” husband, she admitted she did it because she was afraid she’d miss if she tried herself. Meet the world’s most famous black widow of fashion, Patrizia Reggiani—also known as Lady Gucci. Films like House of Gucci starring Lady Gaga and Adam Driver, or Lady Gucci: The Story of the Black Widow (2020), ensure that the Gucci name remains not only on the runway but also in the headlines. What is Lady Gucci doing now, after her release from prison?

Gucci family secrets – love, prestige, crime

Fashion stirs up a lot of emotions. When you add emotions—love, jealousy, pride—to runway success, money, and prestige, you get an explosive mix. Here’s a brief story of a turbulent relationship under the Gucci banner.

Patrizia Reggiani and Maurizio Gucci met at the University of Milan when they were both 22. She was the beautiful daughter of a waitress, spoiled by her stepfather; he was the shy son of the famous actor Rodolfo Gucci. Although they fell in love at first sight, Maurizio ignored his father’s warnings against getting involved with the spoiled Patrizia. Their wedding in 1972 led to Maurizio being immediately disinherited by his father. However, Aldo Gucci, Maurizio’s uncle, offered them jobs and support in New York.

Patrizia quickly gained a reputation for being extravagant. She earned the nickname “Tutankhamun” because of her love for gold jewelry. She used to say, “I’d rather cry in a Rolls-Royce than be happy on a bicycle.” In 1976, she gave birth to Alessandra, and five years later, to Allegra.

Conflicts within the Gucci family escalated, and the biggest scandal erupted when Maurizio left Patrizia for a younger lover, offering her alimony of $500,000 a year—a sum Patrizia could spend in a week. When she learned of Maurizio’s plans to remarry, she decided to have him killed. Her pride simply could not accept such an insult. On March 27, 1995, Maurizio was shot dead in Milan. Patrizia paid $400,000 to have the murder carried out, but as a result, she spent 18 years in prison.

What is Lady Gucci doing now?

After serving her sentence in extremely luxurious conditions and accompanied by her beloved ferret, Patrizia was released in 2016. What is Lady Gucci doing now? Common sense would suggest that, as a notorious murderer and infamous spendthrift, she should disappear from the spotlight and retreat into obscurity. But that’s not the case—Patrizia continues to live in luxury. She’s as sought-after and popular as ever. Since 2026, two films have been made about the story of Lady Gucci, one a feature film and the other a documentary. Both have enjoyed tremendous success and public interest, just like the private life of the so-called Black Widow with the Gucci label.

Patrizia Reggiani, known as “Lady Gucci,” served 18 years of her sentence for orchestrating the murder of her husband, Maurizio Gucci. After being released early for good behavior, Reggiani, despite initial difficulties, adapted to her new reality. While behind bars, she grew flowers, befriended other inmates, and was even allowed to keep a ferret in her cell. She also applied for parole, but declined it when she learned it required her to work outside prison. At the time, she said: “I have never worked in my life and I see no reason to start now.” What is Lady Gucci doing now, several years after her release from prison?

Career and popularity

After being released from prison, Patrizia started a new life, although far from her daughters and her fortune. “They don’t understand me and have cut me off from the money. I was left with nothing and I haven’t met my two grandsons,” she said in one interview. Soon, however, she found work as a fashion consultant at Bozart, where she created, among other things, a collection of rainbow handbags. Interestingly, they sold extremely well, and clients still search for Gucci bags without the Gucci label to this day. The fact that she is guilty of her husband’s murder paradoxically does not hinder her career at all. She currently lives in Milan, where she is often seen in exclusive boutiques—of course, with a parrot on her shoulder.

After her release, Patrizia continues to live in the luxury that has always been her goal. And with an annual allowance of a million pounds to spend at the Dolce&Gabbana boutique, she can certainly afford it. Photographers often capture her shopping in expensive boutiques, dressed in elegant outfits, though frequently with the help of assistants. At 76, she has difficulty walking. In one interview, she expressed her annoyance about the film “House of Gucci” and the fact that Lady Gaga, who played her, did not have “the tact or sense to meet me in person.”

Reggiani still maintains that she did not order her husband’s murder, saying: “I told many people I wished him dead. But I never imagined it could actually happen.” However, when one reporter asked her why she hired a hitman instead of killing Maurizio herself, she replied: “My eyesight is poor, I didn’t want to miss.” Despite the passage of years, Reggiani remains a controversial and intriguing figure.

Lady Gucci with a parrot on her shoulder

Interestingly, Patrizia is currently the most recognizable member of the Gucci family. Although there were attempts to strip her of the right to use the famous family name, these efforts were unsuccessful. Whether legally Gucci or Reggiani, she is the one who shapes the popular image of Gucci—colorful and intriguing like few others.

What is Lady Gucci doing now? She’s often seen shopping, still followed by the flash of cameras. Naturally, she wears creations from global brands, with a parrot perched on her shoulder. She remains the star she’s always been, and the label of “murderess” has never overshadowed the Gucci label next to her name.