~Gianni Versace ~ The Legend Remains~
By:Sherry
skedquist@yahoo.com

Fashion Designer Gianni Versace was born in 1946 in Reggio Calabria, Italy In the early days, his mother supported the family with her small tailor-shop. He would help his mother find gold and beads and thread to make her dresses and garments. There, Versace learned everything about making clothes and soon he designed apparel himself, which was sold in his mother's shop. Then, Versace acquired additional skills working in fabric procurement positions. He got his first chance to show his skills when designing a collection for Fiori Fiorentini, a Lucca, and Italy based company in 1972.

In the beginning, Versace designed for the Italian fashion labels De Parisi, Genny Callaghan, Alma, and then for Complice in 1974. The work for Complice, which he fully conceived himself marked the first occasion where his own name was included in the brand name.

In 1978, Versace opened his first boutique in Milan's Via della Spiga, still selling other labels to complement his own collections. Soon, with the growing popularity of the Versace style, boutiques started to spread across the globe. The Versace-style has become a trademark of its own. If you try to characterize Versace, you can always point to Giorgio Armani. Versace is everything Armani is NOT. He is known for striking colors, materials, and cuts. His collections for men and women are sexy to the point of vulgarity. Versace thought out of the box, and his designs would prove this. On first sight his work seems to reflect the typical Italian grandezza. On second sight, he seemed to draw only from those images (like the neo-classicistic ornaments in his prints), pushing them to the limits, in order to question any prevailing common agreement on “Good Taste”.
When designing new products, Versace gave only a vague sketch of his ideas. Then, his assistants were responsible for transforming them into wearable garments.

If You try to characterize Versace, you can always point to Giorgio Armani. Versace is everything Armani is NOT

Gianni Versace thought out of the box and his designs proved this.


In 1997, Versace was shot to death in front of his mansion in Miami, Florida. Versace's killer is allegedly a serial killer, Andrew Cunnann, who committed suicide in Miami short after Versace's murder. Also rumored to be his ex-lover. In September 1997, Gianni Versace's brother Santo Versace was announced the new CEO of the Versace holding. Gianni's sister Donatella Versace is the new head of design. Donatella was already in a creative position, designing for the Versus label. Sole heiress of Gianni Versace is Donatella's eleven year old daughter Allegra. Her son Daniel inherits Gianni's collection of paintings. Parts of Gianni Versace’s heritage are his luxurious mansions at Lake Como, Italy, in Milan, Italy, in New York City, and the mansion in Miami where Versace was killed.

The Versace Empire is a family business. Until his death, Gianni Versace himself held the position of a director of his company Gianni Versace His sister Donatella Versace served as vice-president and was also in charge of the Versace distribution concepts. His brother Dottore Santo Versace presides together with his college friend Claudio Luti over the holding company Finanziaria Versace the Company was supposed to go public in mid-1998. Therefore, Gianni Versace started to reconstruct to company organization short before his death in mid-1997. It was planned to offer 25-30% of the company assets at the stock market. Since Versace's death, the management still holds on to these plans. Gianni Versace used to own 45% of the company assets, 35% Santo Versace and 20% Donatella. Since Donatella's daughter Allegra is the sole heiress of the Gianni's wealth, Donatella will control the majority of the company assets. The company will receive $21.6 million from Gianni Versace's life-insurance. As it is reported and quoted… The business will go on!