Fashion icons: Gianni Versace, the Italian designer who drank from cinema and music for inspiration

The name Versace speaks for itself of luxury, opulence and exclusivity, since the brothers Gianni and Donatella ensured that this was the case. Gianni Versace, Donatella’s older brother, was the first in the family to immerse himself in the fashion industry and the founder of the house of Versace.

Gianni Versace was born in Reggio de Calabria, Italy, in 1946. The Italian designer, who was the middle of three brothers, showed his interest in the world of design at an early age, since from a young age he helped his mother embroider dresses with cotton thread. gold and designed clothes for his sister Donatella, who was 10 years his junior.

Versace studied Architecture, but when he turned 26 he moved to Milan to start in the fashion sector. There he worked as a designer for brands like Genny and Callaghan, and in 1976 he decided to open his own firm with the help of his older brother, Santos Versace. In 1980, the Italian brand achieved worldwide fame, thanks to the fact that he was one of the first designers to link the fashion industry with film and music. In addition, his friendship with celebrities such as Madonna, Elton John, Cher or Diana of Wales had a great influence on his style.

In his designs he perfectly combined his great passions: art (especially cubist and Art Deco) and ancient history (origin of the birth of the Medusa symbol). However, sensuality and ostentation were other of his hallmarks, since he designed his collections with the opulence of luxury always present, in tune with the era of excessive consumerism that then reigned. Items such as bags, footwear, swimsuits or costume jewelery were the main protagonists of the firm, which, with a more affordable price than other luxury brands, reached a middle-class audience and that was the definitive springboard for the Italian firm.

In 1997, Andrew Cunanan assassinated Gianni Versace at the entrance to his Miami residence. A tragic and premature end for one of the most important creators of the 20th century. After his death, his sister Donatella, who until then had been vice president of the company, took over the Versace house.