Versace
Gianni Versace S.r.l. (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒanni verˈsaːtʃe]), usually referred to as Versace (/vərˈsɑːtʃeɪ/ vər-SAH-chay),[a] is an Italian luxury fashion company founded by Gianni Versace in 1978.[7] The company produces Italian-made ready-to-wear and accessories, as well as haute couture under its Atelier Versace brand[8] and licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear.[9] Gianni Versace being a native of Calabria, in the ancient Magna Grecia (Greater Greece), the company logo is inspired by Medusa, a figure from Greek mythology.[10]
For other uses, see Versace (disambiguation).Company type
Subsidiary (S.r.l.)
1978, as Gianni Versace Donna
- Piazza Luigi Einaudi, 4
- 20124 Milan
- Italy
- 45°28′59″N 9°11′42″E / 45.48306°N 9.19502°E
- Santo Versace (chairman, president)[1]
- Emmanuel Gintzburger (director, CEO)[2]
- Donatella Versace (artistic director)
- Ready-to-wear
- haute couture
- leather accessories
- footwear
1500
Brands[edit]
Atelier Versace[edit]
In 2004, Versace – which as an Italian house is a correspondent member of the Chambre Syndicale de la Haute Couture –[40] decided to pull couture off the runway for the first time and, for several years, invited only editors to see the clothes on racks. In 2012, Versace returned to the couture schedule,[41] only to halt its couture shows again from 2017.[42][43]
Versace Classic V2[edit]
From 1990, Versace held a majority stake in VeZe, a joint venture company with Ermenegildo Zegna. From 1996, VeZe manufactured the Versace Classic V2 men’s and women’s wear diffusion lines.[44] In 2004, the company decided to cancel the Versace Classic women’s collection and replace the men’s line with a higher-positioned brand known as Versace Collezioni.[45]
Runway shows[edit]
Donatella Versace enlisted music from South African gqom duo, FAKA's "Amaqhawe" extended play as the runway soundtrack for the Versace Men's Spring-Summer 2019 , collection.[62]
Testimonials[edit]
Celebrity endorsements[edit]
Versace has always counted important public figures and celebrities among its clients. Between 1980 and 1983, Loretta Goggi was the first Italian artist to flaunt outfits signed by Gianni Versace, which she wore on many public and television occasions.[63] Elton John, who has a strong connection to the Versace family, has consistently worn Versace jewelry, just as Lady Diana often wore the designer's clothing. Lady Diana shared a close friendship with Gianni Versace and relied on him for various events.[64] Other celebrities who have worn Versace at public events include Beyoncé, Cindy Crawford (who famously wore the red dress in 1991), Elizabeth Hurley (who wore the famous Safety Pin Dress in 1994), and Jennifer Lopez (who wore the iconic Jungle Dress in 2000) and often chooses the fashion house for her social engagements.[65]
In July 2011, Lady Gaga exclusively wore vintage outfits, the latest collection's garments, and accessories from the brand for an entire month. She also donned a Versace ensemble in the music video for "The Edge of Glory".[66][67]
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.[68][69][70] She continued to wear Versace and was invited to the Versace FW2020 event.
Advertising campaigns[edit]
Notable figures who have lent their image to Versace's advertising campaigns include Madonna (in 1995 and 2005),[79] Ashton Kutcher, Kevin Richardson, Demi Moore, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Patrick Dempsey, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, the musical group The Corrs, Halle Berry, and Lady Gaga (in 2014).[67][80] The has been working with several high-profile photographers for its advertisement campaigns, including Richard Avedon,[81] Steven Meisel (1995),[82] Mert Alas and Marcus Piggott (2011,[83] 2014)[84] and Bruce Weber (2016).[85]
Runway shows[edit]
Among the models who have walked the runway for Versace are Carolyn Murphy, Angela Lindvall, Daria Werbowy, Miriam Escott IV, Christy Turlington, Gisele Bündchen, Kate Moss, Tuki Brando, Graham Love, and Joel West.
Other activities[edit]
Interior design[edit]
Versace was one of the first fashion houses to launch home interiors in 1992, first focused on textiles and later porcelain tableware collections.[86] After having previously manufactured internally, Versace entered into an licensing agreement in 2020 with Lifestyle Design Group, the Italian home design division of Haworth Group, to produce and distribute the Versace Home furniture.[87]
Palazzo Versace[edit]
Soheil Abedian, of Sunland Group, approached Versace in 1997, proposing a luxury hotel built for the Versace brand. The first Palazzo Versace opened on Australia's Gold Coast on 15 September 2000.[88][89] The hotel was sold to a Chinese consortium in December 2012.[90][91] The second Palazzo, the Palazzo Versace Dubai, was completed in December 2015 and is located on the foreshore of Dubai Creek.[92] A third Palazzo, the Palazzo Versace Macau, is under construction as part of a partnership with Macau's largest casino operator SJM Holdings.[93][94][95] The Palazzo Versace hotels are the world's first fashion-branded hotels.[96]
Real estate[edit]
In 2015, Versace partnered with Mind Group. The companies designed luxury residential towers in China called the Versace Residencies. The goal of the creators was to combine Versace's luxury home elements with elements of traditional Chinese culture.[97]
Also in 2015, Versace partnered with the ABIL Group in India to develop another luxury residential project, located in South Mumbai.[98]
Controversy[edit]
In August 2019, Versace produced a range of tops suggesting Hong Kong and Macau were separate countries. Versace apologized, saying it made a mistake in the design and would destroy the offending clothing.[102] In response to the controversy, Yang Mi ended her relationship as brand ambassador for Versace.[103]