Searches for Gucci label soar after release of murder film starring Lady Gaga

Designer brand reaps the benefit of Ridley Scott's movie telling the story of the killing of firm's ex-boss

When is murder good for business? When it is made into a Hollywood movie, for one - and when that film stars Lady Gaga. House of Gucci, the Ridley Scott feature released last week to mixed reviews, has sent interest in the Gucci brand soaring.

Searches for Gucci clothing were up 73% week on week, according to e-commerce aggregator Lovethesales.com on Friday, with a leap of 257% for bags and 75% for sliders. The figures suggest that the luxury brand stands only to gain from Hollywood's telling of the story ofthe glamorous Patrizia Reggiani, who hired a hitman in 1995 to kill her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci, the former head of the fashion label.