Versace soon became one of the hottest fashion brands of the moment, and Gianni employed his sister Donatella as Vice President, overseeing creative oversight, where she acted as a key consultant to Versace. More than a mere transposition of the fashion brand’s stylistic codes, this project integrates fashion, luxury, and lifestyle to offer a global experience of the Versace world. The collection speaks of know-how, creativity, and pure design, echoing the revered identity of Versace.
“Having been at the helm of the Versace empire as artistic director since 1997, Donatella Versace has overseen the growth of the group’s luxury clothing lines alongside the expansion into accessories, home furnishings and hotels, creating a luxury lifestyle brand,” BoF says. The youngest of Versace siblings, Donatella had a particularly strong bond with her brother Gianni the founder of the storied label — she became head designer at Versus in 1994 — and was the natural successor to him after his death in 1997. Ms Versace debuted her first collection for Atelier Spring/Summer 1998 on a see-through catwalk held over the swimming pool at the Ritz Hotel in Paris which resulted in instant acclaim from industry insiders. Donatella Versace has also overseen the repositioning of the Versus line, appointing Christopher Kane in 2009 to revive the brand, followed in 2012 by Jonathan Anderson, who designed a capsule collection for the label. In 2013, Versace announced that Anthony Vaccarello would be the latest designer to produce a capsule collection for the label.
After his death, she succeeded him, starting a new chapter in Versace’s history. As the fashion and film industry remembers well, a tragic event led to his death and stopped his career. The assassination of Gianni Versace was suffered by many, most of all by his sister Donatella.
In 2018, the company was acquired by Michael Kors Holdings – now rebranded Capri Holdings – for $2.1 billion. He was credited with introducing the term ‘supermodel’ to the world when he launched the careers of Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford and Christy Turlington; under his watch, models started to become celebrities. Since Gianni’s sudden death in 1997 at the hands of a spree killer, all of the attention—and responsibility for design—has fallen on Donatella. Her front rows are even more glittering than they were in her brother’s day, and Hollywood is just as enamored. Antonio Banderas has reportedly signed on to star as Gianni in a Bille August–directed movie about the Italian fashion dynasty. In September 1997, the estate announced that Versace’s brother, Santo, would serve as the new CEO of Gianni Versace S.p.A. while Versace’s sister, Donatella, would become the new head of design.
In 2020, the singer Elodie showcased the Versace brand at the 2020 Sanremo Music Festival, wearing it on the red carpet and for all four of her performances. She also wore Versace on the red carpet of the Venice Film Festival.[69][70][71] She continued to wear Versace and was invited to the Versace FW2020 event. Princess Kate, like every genuine fashion aficionado worth her weight, wears her favorite dresses more than once. Exceeding all expectations, she brought the same spirit and innovation the Maison was known for into her creations; after all, Donatella Versace has always been the brand’s heart and soul.
In 1972, Gianni Versace designed his first collections for Callaghan, Genny, and Complice. In 2008 Versace was appointed as an honorary chair of London’s Fashion Fringe initiative founded by acclaimed journalist Colin McDowell. An active philanthropist, Versace serves as patron of the Elton John AIDS Foundation and in 2010 was awarded a “Do Something” award by VH1 for her contributions to charitable work. In December 2017, Donatella Versace was awarded with the “Fashion Icon” award during the Fashion Awards, while in 2018 she won the International award at the CFDA. That same year she was honoured as “Designer of the Year” both by British GQ and by GQ China, and awarded the “Fashion Icon Award” at the GQ Awards in Berlin.
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