PRESENTATION ON VERSACE

IN THE WORLD OF FASHION, THEY ARE THE ITALIAN ROYAL FAMILY. EVEN
THEIR LOGO - “THE MEDUSA IS MORE OF AN INSPIRATION FROM THE GREEK
ARTWORK.
WHEN YOU WEAR IT, EVERYONE AROUND YOU KNOWS IT!
LUXURY FASHION REVOLUTIONIZED THE WORLD IN ITS OWN WAY. VERSACE IS
ONE BRAND THAT NOT JUST UNIQUE IN ITS CHOICE OF ELEMENTS BUT IS ALSO
A GENIUS WHEN IT COMES TO MARKETING ITS COLLECTIONS AND MAKING
HIGH-PROFILE CONNECTIONS.
VERSACE IS SYNONYMOUS TO BOLD, SEDUCTIVE, AND POWERFUL, SEXY YET
ELEGANT.
THE 42-YEAR-OLD BUSINESS HAS BEEN EVER INSPIRATIONAL TO THE FASHION
COMMUNITY. SINCE THE START, THEY HAVE DESIGNED UNIQUE GARMENTS
THAT ARE UNAPOLOGETICALLY UNIQUE GARMENTS THAT ARE
UNAPOLOGETICALLY UNIQUE AND FUNKY WHICH WAS QUITE A RISK-TAKING
GENRE FOR ANY OTHER FASHION HOUSE DURING THAT TIME. BEING A FAMILY
RUN BUSINESS GIVES THE BRAND A TOUCH OF THEIR OWN PERSONAL STYLES
IN EVERY COLLECTION. UNFORTUNATELY, GIANNI VERSACE LIFE WAS TAKEN
FROM HIM IN 1997 WHICH SHOCKED EVERYBODY.
HISTORY OF VERSACE
 • GROWING UP IN REGGIO CALABRIA, GIANNI VERSACE SPENT HIS EARLY YEARS WORKING FOR HIS
MOTHER, WHO OWNED A LOCAL SEWING BUSINESS. THIS IS WHERE VERSACE FELL IN LOVE WITH
FASHION. GIANNI MADE HIS FIRST DRESS – A BLUE ONE-SHOULDER EVENING GOWN – AT THE AGE OF NINE.
PRINCESS DIANA WORE A VERSION OF THAT CREATION SOME 40 YEARS LATER. WHEN HE TURNED 26 HE
MOVED TO MILAN TO WORK IN FASHION DESIGN, AND IN 1973 HE BECAME THE DESIGNER OF “BYBLOS”, A
YOUTHFUL LINE FOR GENNY. IT WASN’T UNTIL 1978 THAT HE WOULD HAVE HIS OWN BOUTIQUE IN
MILAN’S VIA DELLA SPIGA, THE MAIN SHOPPING STREET IN [Link] THE NEXT DECADE, VERSACE
EXPLODED ONTO THE SCENE. GIANNI DID A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT REVOLUTIONIZED THE FASHION
INDUSTRY. FROM LACE AND LEATHER TO METAL STUDS AND SWAROVSKI CRYSTALS, HE WAS ONE OF THE
FIRST PEOPLE TO USE MULTIPLE ELEMENTS IN THE SAME DRESS . WHEN IT CAME TO MARKETING HIS
PRODUCT HE WAS NOTHING SHORT OF GENIUS. HE WAS THE FIRST DESIGNER TO TAKE HIS RUNWAY SHOWS
TO OTHER MAJOR MARKETS SUCH AS PARIS AND NEW YORK. ALONG WITH HIS KEEN EYE FOR DESIGN, HE
HAD A KEEN EYE FOR ADVERTISING. HE STRESSED THE IMPORTANCE OF ONLY USING SUPERMODELS AND
HIGH-LEVEL PHOTOGRAPHERS TO MAKE HIS CAMPAIGNS STAND OUT ABOVE THE REST. VERSACE ALSO
RECOGNIZED THE BRAND CLOUT HE WOULD RECEIVE IF CELEBRITIES WERE OUTFITTED BY HIM. HE MADE
CLOTHES FOR ELTON JOHN, PRINCESS DIANA, MICHAEL JACKSON, AND COUNTLESS OTHER CELEBRITIES.
RECENTLY JENNIFER LOPEZ WORE A RECREATION OF THE FAMOUS GREEN DRESS SHE WORE IN 2000, AT
THIS YEAR’S NEW YORK FASHION WEEK SHOW, 19 YEARS LATER. IN 1992, VERSACE MOVED TO MIAMI,
WHERE HE FELL IN LOVE WITH AND PURCHASED A GORGEOUS VILLA IN SOUTH BEACH CALLED THE VILLA
CASA CASUARINA, AS WELL AS THE LOT NEXT DOOR. AFTER MORE THAN $30 MILLION IN RENOVATIONS,
THE ICONIC VERSACE MANSION WAS ESTABLISHED., CREATING THE VERSACE MANSION WHERE HE LIVED
UNTIL HE PASSED IN 1997. VERSACE PASSED IN 1997 WHEN A CRAZED FAN, ANDREW CUNANAN, SHOT HIM
ON HIS DOORSTEP. AFTER HIS TRAGIC DEATH, HIS SISTER DONATELLA TOOK OVER AS CREATIVE DIRECTOR
AND CONTINUED TO PUSH THE COMPANY FORWARD. TODAY, OVER 1500 BOUTIQUES ARE OPEN
WORLDWIDE AND THE COMPANY’S OUTSTANDING SHARES WERE PURCHASED BY MICHAEL KORS IN 2018
DONATELLA VERSACE
• DONATELLA VERSACE IS AN ITALIAN FASHION DESIGNER, VICE
PRESIDENT OF THE VERSACE GROUP AND ITS MAIN DESIGNER,
MEANING HER VISION PENETRATES EVERY ASPECT OF THE
COMPANY, FROM ITS PHILOSOPHY TO ITS CLOTHES. THE VERSACE
GROUP WAS FOUNDED BY HIS BROTHER GIANNI VERSACE IN 1978,
BUT SHE TOOK OVER AT ITS HELM FOLLOWING HIS UNTIMELY
DEATH IN 1997. DONATELLA IS NOT JUST FAMOUS FOR HER
DESIGNS; SHE IS ALSO A POP CULTURE ICON AND WELL KNOWN
FOR HER ELITE ENTOURAGE. LEARN ABOUT THIS WORLD-FAMOUS
BRAND, THE HISTORY BEHIND ITS FAMILY AND ITS ENDURING
LEGACY IN THE FASHION INDUSTRY.
DONATELLA VERSACE QUOTES

• ‘MY STYLE IS NOT THAT BIG. I WEAR HEELS, TIGHT PANTS, AND I WEAR DIAMONDS.’
• ‘YOU HAVE TO RENEW YOURSELF, BECAUSE TOMORROW IS WHAT MATTERS IN
FASHION. TODAY IS ALREADY OLD.’
• ‘I DON’T LIKE BALANCE. BALANCE IS NOT A WORD YOU CAN USE IN VERSACE
FASHION.’
• ‘YOU CAN BE TOO BORING, BUT YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO SEDUCTIVE.’
• ‘DIE AND BORN AGAIN, DIE AND BORN AGAIN. IT’S THE STORY OF MY LIFE.’
• ‘MY MAIN INFLUENCE IS – IT’S MUSIC. IT LIFTS THE SPIRIT. I AM ALWAYS LISTENING
TO MUSIC. AND SOMETIMES WHAT INSPIRES ME IS A LITTLE SOUND OR SOME SMALL
ARRANGEMENT. I REALLY DO LISTEN TO MUSIC CONTINUOUSLY ALL DAY LONG –
VERY LOUD, SO PEOPLE CAN’T STAND TO BE AROUND ME ANYMORE.’
SEDUCTIVE CLOTHES VERSACE

VERSACE TOPS MANY LISTS OF MOST ICONIC DRESSES FOR ITS CELEBRATION OF THE
FEMALE FORM. ELIZABETH HURLEY WORE A REVEALING SAFETY-PIN GOWN IN 1994,
WHICH LAUNCHED BOTH HERSELF AND THE VERSACE BRAND TO STARDOM.
JENNIFER LOPEZ WORE A PLUNGING TURQUOISE DRESS TO THE 42ND GRAMMY
AWARDS CEREMONY IN 2000, AND ANGELINA JOLIE’S SEDUCTIVELY EXTENDED LEG
AT THE 84TH ANNUAL ACADEMY AWARDS IN 2012 ACCENTUATED THE GOWN’S SEX
APPEAL. FROM FIGURE-FLATTERING DESIGNS AND EXAGGERATED PROPORTIONS,
THE VERSACE STYLE HAS ALWAYS BEEN DECADENT, BOLD AND SULTRY. BUILDING
UPON HER BROTHER GIANNI’S DESIGN PHILOSOPHY IN KEEPING THE EMPOWERED
WOMAN AS A CENTRAL FACET OF THE BRAND, DONATELLA STILL DESIGNS HER
CLOTHES TO HIGHLIGHT THE WOMAN’S BODY, BUT HAS ALSO INCORPORATED MORE
ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS INTO THE CLOTHES, LENDING A MORE FUTURISTIC
LOOK TO THE LINE IN THE LAST DECADES.
ROCK AND ROLL INFLUENCES

THE VERSACE NAME WAS BORN AS AN AUDACIOUS AND UNAPOLOGETIC

BRAND, FUSING STREET STYLE WITH HIGH FASHION TO CREATE BOMBASTIC,
AVANT-GARDE DESIGNS. VERSACE IS WELL KNOWN FOR MIXING MEDIUMS
SUCH AS METAL, MESH AND LEATHER, OFTEN PAINTED IN BRIGHT, ALMOST
JARRING COLORS. BLACK LEATHER, FLASHY GOLDEN JEWELS, BOMBER
JACKETS AND ZIPPERS SHOW UP OFTEN, PAYING A NOD TO THE ROCK-AND-
ROLL AESTHETIC AND NEO-PUNK VIBE. THIS ROCK INFLUENCE HAS NOT LEAST
BEEN UNDERLINED BY DONATELLA VERSACE’S FRIENDSHIPS WITH
CELEBRITIES SUCH AS MADONNA, ELTON JOHN AND BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN. SHE
ADMITS THAT SHE IS PASSIONATE ABOUT MUSIC, AND LISTENS TO IT
‘CONTINUOUSLY, ALL DAY LONG.’
MEDUSA LOGO

THE ICONIC MEDUSA LOGO IS A PERFECT METAPHOR FOR THE VERSACE BRAND’S STYLE
AND CORE PHILOSOPHY, WHICH IS EMPOWERED AND SEDUCTIVE. ACCORDING TO THE
ANCIENT GREEK MYTH, LOOKING INTO THE EYES OF MEDUSA WOULD TURN YOU INTO
STONE AND HER SNAKE HEAD OF HAIR ADDED TO HER INTIMIDATING AURA. GIANNI
VERSACE CHOSE THIS SYMBOL BECAUSE HE WANTED TO EMPOWER WOMEN WITH HIS
BOLD, SLEEK CLOTHES THAT WOULD RENDER A WOMAN ULTRA CONFIDENT AND ABLE
TO MANIPULATE THE MALE GAZE. THE LOGO NATURALLY APPEARS ON MANY VERSACE
ACCESSORIES, FROM SUNGLASSES TO SCARVES, BUT IS INCREASINGLY MAKING AN
APPEARANCE AS A PATTERN ON ITS CLOTHES. IN VERSACE’S FALL/WINTER 2016
COLLECTION, AN OVERSIZED MEDUSA ICON POPS UP ON MINI-DRESSES, SHIRTS, AND
EVEN UNDERGARMENTS.
• BUT THE MEDUSA IS A UNIQUE SYMBOL — SOMETHING STRONG. IT'S ABOUT
GOING ALL THE WAY.” CONNECTING THEIR ITALIAN ROOTS TO THE
STRENGTH OF MEDUSA, THE HOUSE OF VERSACE SEEKS TO MAKE WOMEN
AND MEN FEEL BOLD, STRONG, AND EMPOWERED THROUGH BEAUTY AND
EXPRESSIVE PERSONAL STYLE
OROTON
• GIANNI HIMSELF FIRST INVENTED THE NOW-POPULAR MESH-LIKE
METALLIC FABRIC OROTON. THE CHAINMAIL TEXTILE RESEMBLES A
REFLECTIVE FLUID METAL. VERSACE FIRST DEVELOPED THE LIGHTWEIGHT
FABRIC IN 1982 AND PREMIERED IT AT A FASHION SHOW AT THE PARIS
OPERA. THE TEXTILE WAS MEANT TO RESEMBLE TRADITIONAL OLD-WORLD
DRAPING, A HALLMARK OF VERSACE’S GARMENTS; THE DESIGNER WAS
KNOWN FOR FORGOING CONVENTIONAL SEWING PATTERNS, AND INSTEAD
CONSTRUCTING ALL HIS GARMENTS BY DRAPING CLOTH DIRECTLY ONTO A
MODEL. RECENTLY, STARS LIKE DUA LIPA AND KYLIE JENNER HAVE
ROCKED CUSTOM OROTON DRESSES
BONDAGE
• THE ITALIAN FASHION HOUSE'S DESIGNS OFTEN CELEBRATE FEMALE
SEXUAL EXPRESSION. FOR FALL/WINTER 1992, GIANNI CREATED THE MISS S
AND M COLLECTION, NOW OFTEN REFERRED TO AS HIS BONDAGE
COLLECTION. STRAPPY, SEXY BLACK LEATHER LOOKS WITH METAL
DETAILING ALLUDED TO A CELEBRATION OF KINKY SEXUAL PREFERENCES.
THE COLLECTION WAS POLARIZING. CRITICS FELT THE COLLECTION
REDUCED WOMEN TO SEX OBJECTS, WHILE OTHERS FOUND IT EMPOWERING.
DONATELLA PAYED HOMAGE TO THE ORIGINAL BONDAGE COLLECTION FOR
VERSACE FALL/WINTER 2019, BRINGING BACK THE STRAPS AND BUCKLES.
GOLD METAL DETAILING
• MANY OF VERSACE’S COLLECTIONS FEATURED HEAVY METAL DETAILING.
GIANNI LOVED TO PUSH THE BOUNDARIES OF CLOTHING AND LONG BEFORE
THE VALENTINO ROCKSTUD OR THE CURRENT RIVETS TREND HE WAS
EXPERIMENTING WITH EXTENSIVE HARDWARE. THOUGH HE DID USE SILVER,
GIANNI OFTEN WORKED IN BAROQUE-INSPIRED GOLD TONES. FROM USING
CHAINS-AS-STRAPS TO DESIGNING COUTURE PINS OR ACCENTING DRESSES
WITH HUGE METAL EMBELLISHMENTS, THE DESIGNER ESSENTIALLY
INCORPORATED JEWELRY INTO HIS GARMENTS.
POP ART
• GIANNI WAS INSPIRED BY POP CULTURE, AS WELL AS BY HIGH ART. THE
DESIGNER CREATED AN ENTIRE POP ART-INSPIRED COLLECTION FOR
SPRING/SUMMER 19991, INCORPORATING ANDY WARHOL’S SCREEN PRINTS
OF MARILYN MONROE AND JAMES DEAN INTO HIS CLOTHING. GIANNI OFTEN
USED THE POP ART TECHNIQUE OF REPEATING AN ICONOGRAPHY
THROUGHOUT A WORK. HE LOVED CONTEMPORARY ART, AND IN 2009
SOTHEBY’S ACTUALLY SOLD THE DESIGNER’S PERSONAL COLLECTION OF
20TH-CENTURY PIECES FOR OVER $13 MILLION.
HEAVY EMBELLISHMENT
• THE BRILLIANT DESIGNER LOVED USING REFLECTIVE MATERIALS TO DRAW
THE EYE. GIANNI OFTEN EMPLOYED HEAVY EMBELLISHMENTS TO CREATE
RECOGNIZABLE SYMBOLS AND TO SIMPLY CREATE BEAUTIFUL PATTERNS.
FROM BLINGED OUT DRESSES TO MORE SIMPLE SPARKLING ADORNMENTS,
GIANNI KNEW HOW TO MANIPULATE LIGHT TO GET ATTENTION. PLUS, HIS
ORIGINAL EMBELLISHED DESIGNS ARE STILL BELOVED BY STARS TODAY.
RECENTLY, ZENDAYA WORE A VINTAGE 1996 BEADED SILK VERSACE DRESS
TO THE GREEN CARPET AWARDS.
VERSACE HOME

• SINCE 1994, VERSACE HOME HAS BEEN ENRICHED BY A COMPLETE LINE OF

FURNITURE INTRODUCING NEW THEMES FOR EACH SUCCEEDING
COLLECTION, ALWAYS LINKED TO CERTAIN ESTABLISHED DECORATIVE
EMBLEMS: THE MEDUSA HEAD, THE BAROCCO MOTIF OR THE NEO-
CLASSICAL GREEK KEY WHICH HAS NOW BECOME THE ICONIC SYMBOLS OF
THE MAISON.
VERSACE KITCHEN
VERSACE HANDBAGS AND EYEWEAR

• PERFECTLY COMPLEMENTING THE SHOES ARE VERSACE HANDBAGS, WHICH

OFTEN FEATURE OVERSIZED CLASSIC VERSACE DESIGN ELEMENTS, LIKE
THE MEDUSA HEAD, GREEK KEY, OR GOLD STUDS AND SAFETY PINS. A
FAVORITE OF CELEBRITIES, VERSACE EYEWEAR IS GLAMOROUS AND
OSTENTATIOUS, YET SLEEK IN EXECUTION. THE OFTEN OVERSIZED
SUNGLASSES DEMAND ATTENTION, AND HAVE BECOME AN IMPORTANT
FASHION ACCESSORY.
THANK YOU