Very Versace
Never too much !
Elevating ostentation, embodying the femme fatale, building an empire: one had to be called Versace to pull off such a feat. From Gianni to Donatella, from Milan to Miami, the story of Versace is a modern epic, balancing grandeur, tragedy, and opulence. An iconic fashion house embodied by larger-than-life figures, Versace left an indelible mark on its era by brilliantly redefining the boundaries of excess.
Born in 1946 in Reggio Calabria in southern Italy, Gianni Versace was introduced to fashion in his mother’s atelier. At 25, the young man left his sun-drenched province to try his luck in Milan as a freelance designer. Soon joined by his brother and sister, Gianni launched his eponymous brand in 1978. In this family venture, everyone found their role: Santo in management, Gianni and Donatella in design. A pioneer of bold pairings, Gianni combined leopard prints with leather, lace with studs and rings. Versace adopted the head of Medusa, mythological figure of seduction, as its emblem, and Greco-Roman friezes as signature motifs. Adorned in gold, black, and audacity, his collections shocked some, intrigued others, and quickly captivated the world’s biggest celebrities. The Maison even went on to design costumes for performances staged at La Scala in Milan.
Never too much !
Buoyed by its success, Versace expanded and ventured into new horizons: in 1981, the House launched its first fragrance, followed in 1989 by the debut of Versus Versace, its second ready-to-wear line aimed at a younger audience, with Donatella Versace appointed as artistic director. At the dawn of the 1990s, the House reached its peak with the unveiling of its first Haute Couture collection under the name Atelier Versace. The moment was doubly significant: to showcase his boldly sensual creations, Gianni Versace sent Cindy Crawford, Naomi Campbell, Claudia Schiffer, Christy Turlington, Carla Bruni, and Linda Evangelista down the runway to George Michael’s “Freedom.” This show marked the birth of the supermodel phenomenon, breaking with the conventions of the fashion industry, which until then had reserved famous models for photo shoots and anonymous faces for runway shows. In 2017, this legendary lineup made a triumphant return in a show commemorating the twentieth anniversary of Gianni Versace’s death. Dressed in gold lamé gowns, the icons of the 1990s once again walked the runway to the same music, in a setting bathed in gold.
Following Gianni’s death in 1997, his sister Donatella took the reins of the company, continuing to carry forward the Maison's singular and inspiring legacy.
