Alexandra Zarini is the kind of woman you’d think has it all going for her. She’s the heiress to the Gucci fortune and a high-end designer brand. To top it off, she sells their shoes, bags, and other accessories for high prices to the wealthy. The Gucci Double G is a status symbol in and of itself, and she is the woman who will inherit the entire company, brand, and fortune that goes along with it.
She’s got a charmed life, right? Not exactly. The heiress recently opened up about the fact that she was sexually abused as a child. Also, her life has been nothing like the fairy tale everyone wants to believe it is. Here’s what you need to know about her.
1. She’s The Great Granddaughter of the Founder of Gucci
Her great-grandfather was Guccio Gucci, the man who founded Gucci many years ago. His eldest son, Aldo Gucci happens to be Zarini’s grandfather. The younger Gucci transformed the brand into the luxury company it is today.
2. Her Mother is a Gucci
Zarini’s mother is her main link to the Gucci family. In other words, she is maternally related to the Gucci’s. Her mother is Aldo Gucci’s only daughter, who he had with his wife, Patricia Gucci.
3. Her Mother Got Married When She was Older
Her mother had her when she was young, and then married Alexandra’s stepfather, Joseph Ruffalo. In 2020, Zarini publicly accused her stepfather of sexually abusing her from the age of six until she was 22. According to documents she recently filed in California, he would get into her bed at night and touch her inappropriately.
4. The Abuse Took a Toll
Obviously, no one who’s been sexually abused growing up has an easy time in life. She resorted to drugs to cope with her difficult situation, and as usual, that only caused more problems. She relied heavily on drugs to numb the pain of the abuse. Sadly, many people resort to this when they experience something traumatic that can’t be changed.
5. She States Her Family Knew
It’s one thing to have a stepparent sexually abuse you for nearly 16 years of your life, but according to Zarini, her own mother knew. Additionally, her grandmother was aware of the entire situation. Her complaint included the fact that her mother would often hit her and attempt to strangle her, and then her stepfather would intervene and molest her.
She says her mother knew and even enabled this at times. When she was 16, she told her grandmother about the constant abuse. She alleges that her grandmother advised her not to tell anyone else what was happening.
6. Her Stepfather Denies Abusing Her
Following Zarini’s allegations, her stepfather declared his innocence. He denies that he ever touched or abused his stepdaughter in any way. Her mother also admitted that she has been aware of the entire situation since 2007. This indicates that she was aware of her daughter’s abuse at the hands of her own stepfather at the point when it ended.
7. Her Mother Divorced Her Stepfather
When her mother discovered that her daughter was being sexually abused by her own husband, she divorced him. She took action in 2007 when she supposedly found out; however, her daughter said she had known for many years before. Unfortunately, nothing was done to address the abuse. However, the heiress decided to come forward in order to spread awareness of child abuse as a serious issue and to protect other children.
8. Her Mother’s Life is Tumultuous
Zarini’s mother, Patricia Gucci, equally had an incredibly difficult childhood; even more, Patricia’s father did not marry her mother until she was 24. Bruna Palombo – Alexandra Zarini’s grandmother and Patricia Gucci’s mother– worked at a Gucci store when Aldo Gucci met her and started an affair with her. At the time, he was already married with three sons of his own.
During their clandestine affair, he got Bruna Palombo pregnant. Due to the taboo and reputation-ruining nature of adultery at the time, he did not acknowledge his daughter’s existence. But, when Patricia Gucci turned 19, he recognized her as his daughter and put her on the board of the company.
9. She Doesn’t Have Social Media
Alexandra Zarini doesn’t have that much of a social presence or any social media accounts, so it is difficult to learn about her. We know very little about her personal life, as she does not discuss it or make it public. But, of course, we understand that she has had a difficult life, and that’s probably why she does not want to share a whole lot.
10. The Gucci Family Has Skeletons
Going through their family history and the many things that took place over the years, it’s clear theirs is a family with many skeletons in the closet. From the revelation of sexual abuse against a child to illegitimate children and illicit affairs, there is a lot to unpack here.
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