The History of Versace

Few designers have been as celebrated, or as divisive, as Gianni Versace. In his hands, haute couture was bold, brash, glamorous and modern. While his silhouettes and iconography often took inspiration from classical mythology, his use of wild and almost cartoon-like colours, risqué bondage elements and baroque prints brought those ancient goddesses to life in new and exciting ways. 

Before the internet and influencers existed, he understood the power of an image. Indeed, few can forget the iconic moment when Naomi Campbell, Christy Turlington, Linda Evangelista and Cindy Crawford strutted down the runway of autumn/winter show in 1991 lip synching to George Michael’s ‘Freedom’. As one commentator put it, “he turned clothes into pop” — and everyone knows a good pop song is unforgettable. 

The boldness and beauty of Versace is tinged with sadness, however, as the visionary designer battled with cancer privately, before being assassinated outside his home in 1997. His brother Santo subsequently took over as CEO of his eponymous brand, while his sister Donatella became head of design and has since pushed the fashion house to new heights, ultimately resulting in a multibillion dollar acquisition by Michael Kors – although Donatella remains at the creative reigns of the business. 

Here we’ll explore the rich history of the Versace brand and its enduring influence on the fashion world.  

The Founder and Origins

Gianni Versace began his career in 1972 at the age of 25, after moving from his hometown of Reggio Calabria to the fashion capital of Milan. He designed his first prêt-à-porter collections for Callaghan, Genny and Complice.  

He later went on to launch his own brand in Milan in 1978 with his sister Donatella and brother Santo. Right from the start he established himself as an innovator — he eschewed traditional sewing patterns and instead constructed garments by draping cloth directly onto a model. 

In 1982 he invented Oroton, a mesh-like fabric that resembles chainmail but is fluid enough to drape, which remains popular to this day. This sparkling fabric with its liquid-like, sensual texture and ‘look at me’ sheen is perhaps a fitting representation of a brand that would go on to become synonymous with celebrity, sexuality, and scandal. 

The Rise of a Fashion Empire

In 1989 the brand launched its first couture collection in Paris and opened Atelier Versace. By this point Versace had won many awards for his innovative designs and global recognition among his peers — but the Versace fashion empire had yet to reach its peak. 

That came in 1991, with the brand’s seminal, era-defining show — the supermodel moment with Linda, Christy, Naomi and Cindy. It has been credited as one of the first modern runway shows — the one that set the template all others followed. 

Prior to this, couture shows were aimed at press and buyers, very much a fashion insider event. Under Versace’s creative eye, this was transformed into a headline grabbing spectacle. The models came out shimmying to the music with linked arms. George Michael, who had written the song, was sitting in the front row. The worlds of fashion, music and television were colliding — and Versace was at the centre of this new, glamorous universe. 

In addition to eye-popping catwalk shows, Versace embraced scandal and controversy with its advertising. From Sylvester Stallone and Claudia Schiffer famously posing nude for the brand (their modesty covered by strategically placed Versace homewares), to Kate Moss wearing a dress adorned with syringes following a stint in rehab — the brand knew how to generate a buzz. 

Versace quickly gained prominence in the fashion industry, becoming synonymous with opulence and luxury. 

Iconic Designs and Signature Styles

Gianni Versace famously said, “I don’t believe in good taste”. Known for his outré approach to high fashion, Versace’s design aesthetic was influenced by classical mythology; the brand’s Medusa logo, for example, references the ancient goddess — a beautiful woman who entranced men with her beauty, before turning into a monster from whom it was impossible to look away. 

Donatella Versace is widely credited as being Gianni’s muse — he frequently referred to his sister as the ‘perfect woman’, although Donatella herself has since said she hated the term being used to describe her. 

Donatella is widely credited as bringing a younger, edgier approach to Versace, which complemented Gianni’s classicism. Her friendships with celebrities such as Madonna and Liz Hurley further intensified its reputation for glamour, and furthered the notoriety of the brand. 

Probably the most recognisable element of the Versace brand is its iconic bold prints — the baroque inspired prints have adorned silk scarves, shirts, jackets, bomber jackets, dresses and even throw pillows, and remain an enduring symbol of the brand to this day.

At the centre of the fashion house’s designs, however, is a celebration of female sexual expression. Nowhere was this more evident than in its scandalous 1992 Miss S&M collection, inspired by bondage and featuring black leather looks and metal detailing. 

Derided by some critics as offensive to women, celebrated by others as a sign of modern female empowerment — its use of black leather, chains, metal buckles and detailing continue to be referenced by designers to this day.  

Celebrity Endorsement and Pop Culture Impact

Versace was perhaps the first label to truly harness the power of celebrity. “Gianni understood the importance of fashion as a global package,” commented veteran Vogue editor Anna Wintour. “He brought the celebrities into the front rows. He used actresses and rock stars. He understood the importance of getting his image out there. He stands for glamour, sexiness, power and something a little wicked.”

Whether it was Liz Hurley wearing the iconic safety-pin dress on the red carpet, Princess Diana modelling an icy blue Atelier Versace gown on a magazine cover (and many other subsequent iconic looks), or designing stage costumes for Elton John’s world tour — the Versace label and the celebrity machine of the 90s fed each other, and what a feast it was. 

Versace is also credited with having led to the creation of Google image search; a tropical print emerald green dress worn by Jennifer Lopez to the 2000 Grammys captured the world’s attention, and it soon became evident to the brains at the search engine’s HQ that internet users wanted more than just text — they wanted pictures too. 

Few could have predicted just how much impact the resulting functionality, which was launched in July 2001, would have. From red carpet fashion, to online domination — Versace literally changed the world as we know it. 

The Tragic Loss and Family Legacy

Where Versace went, scandal followed and sadly, Gianni Versace’s untimely departure followed this pattern. Brutally gunned down outside his Florida mansion in 1997, his death shocked the world. 

For the final two years of his life, Gianni was reported to have suffered from a rare inner ear cancer and lived reclusively. 

Serial killer Andrew Cunanan was later uncovered as the killer, a story which was later played out to critical acclaim in American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianni Versace.

The film was denounced by Gianni’s family, who released a statement at the time saying, “The Versace family has neither authorized nor had any involvement whatsoever in the forthcoming TV series about the death of Mr. Gianni Versace. Since Versace did not authorize the book on which it is partly based nor has it taken part in the writing of the screenplay, this TV series should only be considered as a work of fiction.”

Since Gianni’s death, under the sharp eye of Donatella Versace, the brand has gone from strength to strength. 

Versace has broken creative and commercial boundaries, diversifying into real estate with the opening of Hotel Palazzo Versace on Australia’s Gold Coast, a multi-billion dollar deal with fashion behemoth Michael Kors, a daring ad campaign featuring Madonna as a glossy, Versace wearing CEO and more recently, an unprecedented collaboration with rival brand Fendi — all of which have cemented the brand’s reputation for quality, originality and luxury. 

Evolution and Innovation

While Donatella’s role at Versace was initially a supporting one — “There was Santo, the calm one; Gianni, the enfant terrible, and me – Gianni’s accomplice,” she once said — the brand as it stands today is shaped by her leadership. 

Versace’s evolution occurred as Donatella herself was finding her voice. Her vision for Versace embraced femininity — and feminism. 

“Male designers, they love to sketch. I don’t care about the sketch, I care about the fit. I drape the fabric, I try everything on, I work so that when you put on Versace, you feel better. You should feel impenetrable. And that needs to happen for a size 38 and for a size 46,” she said.

In 2008 Donatella hired British designer Christoper Kane to resurrect her earlier diffusion line Versus. This signalled the start of a series of relationships with up and coming designers that breathed new life into the Versace brand and earned her a reputation as a champion of young talent. 

Today’s Versace collections embrace its legacy, incorporating contemporary designs while staying true to its bold aesthetic. 

Donatella’s outspoken activism has also permeated the brand’s political stance. In 2021 Versace launched the Medusa Power Talks, a female-led series that discussed power through womens’ voices and experiences. The series featured model Irina Shayk, activist Chelsea Miller and actress Indya Moore. 

The brand has also stepped up its commitment to supporting and elevating the work of women of colour, queer, trans and non-binary people and artists in other marginalised communities. 

Versace Today: Global Reach and Influence

Versace’s global presence remains formidable, with its products sold in 80+ countries worldwide. It also operates several hotels and resorts under the name Palazzo Versace.

Versace was the first major luxury fashion brand to make all its ranges available to buy direct online — an unprecedented move in an industry previously dominated by luxury store experiences. 

The move allowed it to grow its global reach without having to invest in costly physical stores and maintain total, direct control of the site’s design and strategy, to ensure the online experience matches its in-store environment. 

It hasn’t all been plain sailing, however. After registering a net loss in 2016 and under the leadership of Jonathan Akeyord as CEO, the brand underwent a radical transformation of its retail, wholesale and digital strategy. 

At the time, Asia was the most profitable market for the brand, representing around 50% of its business — the aim was to recreate that success across other international markets such as Europe and the US. 

A $1.12 billion acquisition in 2018 by Capri Holdings (formerly Michael Kors Holdings Limited) saw Versace relaunched as a luxury house, opening new stores, investing in digital marketing and expanding into furniture and homewares.  
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Dua Lipa and Donatella Versace unveiled their co-collaborative collection, “La Vacanza” Versace collection in Cannes recently.

The Brand's Enduring Legacy

Versace is enjoying a resurgence at the moment, as a whole new generation discovers the iconic fashion brand. Eager to buy into a piece of the brand’s fashion heritage, Gen Z are snapping up vintage pieces on resale and spurring a wave of high street copycats. 

It feeds into fashion’s ongoing nostalgia for the 90s and early noughties — but in looking back at the history of Versace, we can perhaps capture a vision of what’s to come. 

Whether it’s Lil Nas X and Lizzo wearing vintage inspired Versace designs on the red carpet, supermodel Bella Hadid digging out three archival Versace dresses at the Cannes Film Festival, or a queue of A listers tottering around in the brand’s iconic Medusa Aevitas platform heels — everyone wants a piece of Versace, and specifically of the brand’s legacy designs. 

After decades of austerity and conservative dressing, people are ready to have fun again, to recapture good times past — and if there’s one thing Versace does well, it’s fun. 

Nowhere was this more evident than in the brand’s Summer 2023 collection, a collaboration with Dua Lipa. Grazia described it as “a kaleidoscopic resort-inspired collection that codifies Lipa’s on-stage and real-life fashion persona into an easily digested capsule set to ignite a vacation spirit in us all.”

Clever collaborations, timeless designs, smart business positioning and an authenticity of voice have made it one of the most recognisable and enduring luxury brands in the world and secured Versace’s place in fashion history. 

Final words on Versace

Versace’s contribution to fashion cannot be overstated. In so many ways it has been — and continues to be — a trailblazer. Its iconic brand legacy is one of opulence, luxury and bold design. 

Tracing a path into the future of the brand, Versace is keen to pay homage to the history of the fashion house but, much like her friend and sometime muse Madonna, Donatella is focused on reinvention as opposed to recreation. 

“I don’t need to go to the archive to remember the story of Versace: it’s all in my head. I prefer my memory to reality. I didn’t even use those garments when I started creating this season. I preferred to give them to the dressmakers of the atelier and the creative team to leave them free to reread the past through today’s lens. I like living in the present and discovering the future through the eyes of a curious child.”

Despite its tendency towards the lavish and OTT, Versace has withstood minimalism, four global recessions and a growing atmosphere of social activism. On that basis, it seems fairly certain that the ‘crazy sexy party’ that is Versace will continue a little longer.