Gianni Versace
Contents
Country
Italy
Birth - Death
1946 - 1997
Occupation
Fashion
Notable Achievements
Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana
Description
Credited with melding the worlds of couture fashion and popular culture, Gianni Versace created the concept of the Supermodel in the 1980s. His colourful and flamboyant clothing designs were transferred to household items to such popular appeal that he left behind a global corporate fashion empire.
Born in southern Italy just after the war ended, Versace was apprenticed to fashion at an early age in his mother’s sewing business. At school he studied architecture, then moved to Milan in 1972 to work in the fashion design industry. He freelanced for such design labels as Genny, Callaghan, and Complice.
The fashion world took note of his unusual designs which incorporated symbols and images from ancient Greek history (a particularly favourite subject matter of his) and their bold colours. Versace also incorporated unusual textural material such as leather, lace, and knitted wool. The reception was so positive that he launched his own label, The Gianni Versace Collection, in 1978.
As his success grew internationally, Versace began incorporating even more innovative materials into his couture fashions. This included, for example, aluminum mesh and rubber. In 1989, he added two clothing lines, Versus and Instante, to his growing collection.
Gianni Versace decided to incorporate a novel marketing concept into his growing empire by building strong relationships with global media and entertainment stars. Individuals such as Madonna, Elton John, Diana Princess of Wales, Cher, Sting, and many others were both courted to wear his designs and featured prominently in his marketing publicity. Versace also recruited top photographers to showcase this link between fashion and culture, with favourites being Helmut Newton, Herb Ritts, Bruce Weber, and Richard Avedon.
To carry the program further, Versace cultivated business relationships with particular models that he then moulded to create international supermodels. He agreed to pay huge sums to Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista, and Christy Turlington – turning them into international celebrities who further linked his high fashion to culture. One of his most famous designs was a black dress held together by gold safety pins worn by Elizabeth Hurley in 1994 that, in turn, made her a superstar. Versace recognized the role of the celebrity on both the runway and in front row seating of his shows.
An unusual feature of Gianni Versace was that he was an out gay man from the beginning. In fact, he used the stereotypes of the flamboyant gay fashion designer to his advantage in marketing his designs and building a fashion empire that soon spanned the globe. His romantic partner throughout life was Antonio D’Amico who he met in 1982 and who worked as a fashion designer for his company. D’Amico became head of Instante and Versus Sport.
The world was shocked when Versace was shot dead on the street outside his home in Miami in 1997 when returning from buying his morning newspaper. The killer was serial murderer Andrew Cunanan, himself gay, who subsequently committed suicide on a boat eight days later. A motive was never discovered for the murder of Versace. On his death, the value of the Versace empire was estimated at over US$ 1.2 billion. His sister, Donatella Versace, took over as designer of the fashion house after the family disputed Gianni’s will which had left it to D’Amico.
During his lifetime, Gianni Versace received numerous awards and honours. The President of the Italian Republic conferred the Commendatore della Republica Italiana on him in 1986. He received the American Fashion Oscar in 1993. His theatre and stage designs won the Maschera D’Argento prize in 1987. Many retrospective shows of his fashions have been held around the world.
Versace’s entry into fashion coincided with Italy’s rise as a fashion empire, and he had a great influence on the process. His daring and sexy fashions were deliberately attached to the concept of celebrity culture. He also associated himself with the LGBTQ community, and particularly with gay members of high culture and their fight against AIDS.
