In 1972, Gianni Versace designed his first collections for Callaghan, Genny, and Complice.

In 1978,
the company launched under the name "Gianni Versace Donna." [12] The first Versace boutique was
opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978.[13][14] Versace was one of the few independent designers
who was in control of everything about the brand, from designing to retailing. [6] In 1982, the company
expanded into the accessory, jewelry, home furnishing, and china industries. [15] In 1993, Donatella
Versace created the "Young Versace" line as well as "Versus." [12] In 1994, the brand gained
widespread international coverage due to the black Versace dress of Elizabeth Hurley, referred to at
the time as "that dress".[7][16][17]
Versace was often described as the "Rock n' Roll designer" because they designed for many famous
clients, including Elton John and Michael Jackson, as well as the most beautiful women. Versace
designed the stage costumes and album cover costumes for Elton John in 1992. Versace has also
designed clothing for the Princess of Wales and Princess Caroline of Monaco. The Versace
company is known for using the same models in their ads as they do on the runway. [15]
After the murder of Gianni Versace in 1997, his sister Donatella Versace, formerly vice-president,
took over as creative director, and his older brother Santo Versace became CEO.[18] Donatella's
daughter Allegra Versace was left a 50 percent stake in the company, which she assumed control of
on her eighteenth birthday.[19][20][21]
In 2000, the "green Versace dress" worn by Jennifer Lopez at the 42nd Annual Grammy
Awards gained a lot of media attention, being voted as the "fifth most iconic dress of all time" in
2008, with Hurley's 1994 dress being voted first in a Daily Telegraph poll.[17]
The company's profits were in decline in the early 2000s; [19][22] Fabio Massimo Cacciatori was hired as
interim CEO to reorganise and restructure the Versace Group in 2003. [23] Cacciatori resigned in
December 2003 due to "disputes with the Versace family". [23] From 2004 Giancarlo di Risio, from IT
Holding, was CEO of the group until his resignation in 2009 due to disagreements with Donatella. [24][25]
[26]
 In May 2016, the Versace Group appointed Mr. Jonathan Akeroyd to the position of CEO and
member of the company's Board of Directors.[27]
In February 2014 The Blackstone Group purchased a 20 percent stake in Versace for €210 million.[28]
[29][30]

As of 2016, more than 1500 boutiques operate worldwide; the first boutique outside of Italy was
opened in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1991.[31]
On 24 September 2018 Michael Kors announced that it offered a deal to buy Versace for 2 billion
euros.[32][33] In September 2018 Versace announced that one hundred percent of all Blackstone and
Versace family shares had been sold to the Group Michael Kors Limited. [34]
In October 2018, Versace announced to showcase the brand's first ever Pre-Fall season show in
New York on 2 December. The show is scheduled on Gianni Versace's birth date. [35]
In January 2019, Gianni Versace S.r.l. joined Capri Holdings Limited, forming a new global fashion
luxury group together with Michael Kors and Jimmy Choo. [34]. The acquirement with Michael Kors
cost $2.2 billion dollars[36]
In 2020, the fashion house announced that it would stop using kangaroo leather in its luxury
products. This followed Versace's 2018 decision to ban the use of real fur in its collection. [37]

Collaborations[edit]
In 2006, Gianni Versace S.r.l. entered into a partnership with Automobile Lamborghini S.r.l. to
produce the Lamborghini Murciélago LP640 VERSACE. The car had a Versace white satin interior
with the Versace logo embroidered into the seats. The car was available in black and white. There
were only ten units produced. The car was sold with a complementary luggage set, luxury driving
shoes, and driving gloves.[38]
The Versace boutique in Milan, Italy

The Versace company teamed up with AgustaWestland in 2008 to create the AgustaWestland

AW109 Grand Versace VIP luxury helicopter. The helicopter includes Versace leather interior and a
design on the outside.[39][40]
In 2011, Versace and H&M released a new line of clothing that would be sold in H&M stores. The
store sold both men's and women's clothing and home items such as pillows and blankets. [41]
In 2015, Versace collaborated with dancer Lil Buck to release a line of sneakers.[42]
In 2018, Ronnie Fieg and Donatella Versace debuted their Kith x Versace collection, which featured
a modified medusa logo with "KITH" written over its eyes. [43]
Versace Men's Fall 2019 collection featured several items with the logo of Ford Motor Company.
According to the fashion house, the two companies joined forces to channel "the excitement of
buying your first car. Excitement and aspiration of owning something as an extension of one’s
personality, something very connected to the idea of being a man." [44] Popular Norwegian
model Fariba Rahimi has also participated in Versace Fashion Show 2018 in Milan.

Partnerships[edit]
Versace partnered with the Mind Group firm in China in 2015. The two companies designed luxury
residence towers called the "Versace Residencies." The goal of the creators were to combine
Versace's luxury home elements with elements of traditional Chinese culture. [45] This same year,
Versace partnered with the ABIL Group in India to develop another residential project. These luxury
homes are located in South Mumbai. [46]
In 2015, Donatella Versace was featured in Riccardo Tisci's Givenchy campaign.[47]
5th Avenue, New York City, 2013

Palazzo Versace[edit]
Soheil Abedian, of the Sunland Group, approached Versace in 1997 and successfully proposed a
luxury hotel built upon the Versace brand; the first Palazzo Versace opened on Australia's Gold
Coast on 15 September 2000.[48][49] The hotel was sold to a Chinese consortium in December 2012. [50]
[51]
 The second Palazzo, the Palazzo Versace Dubai, was completed in December 2015 and is
located on the foreshore of Dubai Creek.[52] A third Palazzo is under construction. The Palazzo
Versace Macau was announced in 2013 and will be built in partnership with Macau's largest casino
operator SJM Holdings.[53][54][55] The Palazzo Versace hotels are the first fashion-branded hotels in the
world and place an emphasis on beauty and luxury.[56]

Controversy[edit]
In August 2019, Versace produced a range of tops that suggested "Hong Kong and Macau were
separate countries". Versace apologised to its Chinese customers, said it had made a mistake in the
design and would destroy the offending clothing on 11 August 2019. [57] Chinese actress Yang Mi,
who also is the brand's ambassador in China, said she would end her association with Versace. [58]