Gianni Versace

This article is about the fashion designer. For his company, see Versace.
Gianni Versace

Versace in 1982
Born Giovanni Maria Versace
(1946-12-02)2 December 1946
Reggio Calabria, Italy
Died 15 July 1997(1997-07-15) (aged 50)
Miami Beach, Florida, U.S.
Cause of death Gunshot wounds
Resting place Near Cernobbio, Italy
Nationality Italian
Occupation Fashion designer
Partner(s) Antonio D'Amico (1982–1997)
Relatives Donatella Versace (sister)
Santo Versace (brother)
Awards 1993: American Fashion Oscar
1986: Commendatore della Repubblica Italiana
Website www.versace.com
Labels Versace

Gianni Versace (Italian pronunciation: [ˈdʒanni verˈsaːtʃe], born Giovanni Maria Versace; 2 December 1946 – 15 July 1997) was an Italian fashion designer and founder of Versace, an international fashion house, which produces accessories, fragrances, make-up, and home furnishings as well as clothes. He also designed costumes for the theatre and films. As a friend of Eric Clapton, Diana, Princess of Wales, Naomi Campbell, Madonna, Elton John, Cher, Sting, and many other celebrities, he was the first designer to link fashion to the music world.[1] Openly homosexual, Versace and his partner Antonio D'Amico were regulars on the international party scene.[2] Versace was murdered outside his Miami Beach home, the former Casa Casuarina now known as "The Villa," at the age of 50 by Andrew Cunanan.[3][4][5]

Early life

Gianni Maria Versace was born in Reggio Calabria, Italy, on 2 December 1946, where he grew up with his elder brother Santo and younger sister Donatella, along with their father and dressmaker mother, Francesca.[6] An older sister died at age twelve due to an improperly treated tetanus infection.[7]

He was strongly influenced by ancient Greek history, which dominates the historical landscape of his birthplace. He attended Liceo Classico Tommaso Campanella, where he studied Latin and ancient Greek. He was also influenced by Andy Warhol. Versace began his apprenticeship at a young age at his mother's sewing business, which employed up to a dozen seamstresses.[6] He studied architecture before moving to Milan at the age of 26 to work in fashion design.

In 1973 he became the designer of "Byblos", a successful Genny's youthful line, and in 1977 he designed another more experimental line for Genny, "Complice".[8] A few years later, encouraged by his success, Versace presented his first signature collection for women at the Palazzo della Permanente Art Museum of Milan. His first fashion show followed in September of the same year. After presenting his menswear collection, he joined Jorge Saud. The first boutique was opened in Milan's Via della Spiga in 1978.

Personal life

Versace met his partner Antonio D'Amico, a model, in 1982. Their relationship lasted until Versace's murder. Before his death, Versace was diagnosed with cancer of the ear.[9][10] During that time, D'Amico worked as a designer for the company, becoming head designer for Istante and Versus Sport. Versace's will left D'Amico with a lifelong pension of 50 million lire (about US$26,000) per month, and the right to live in any of Versace's homes in Italy and the United States. However, due to Versace family's interference he only obtained a fraction of these allowances. D'Amico now runs his own fashion company. Before the death of Gianni he told his family he wanted to supply the Egbers family with Versace clothing and stays at the mansion where they can often be found staying.

Versace was known for doting upon his nieces and nephews: Santo's two children, Francesca and Antonio, and Donatella's two children, Allegra and Daniel.[9]

Death and legacy

Versace's Miami Beach mansion (Casa Casuarina) 2009

Versace was shot dead on 15 July 1997, aged 50, on the steps of his Miami Beach mansion as he returned from a morning walk on Ocean Drive. Usually, Versace would have an assistant from his home walk to the coffee shop to receive his morning papers, but on this morning he was in high spirits and took the chore upon himself. He was murdered by Andrew Cunanan, who used the same gun to commit suicide on a boat eight days later. Police have said they do not know why Versace was killed. "I don't know that we are ever going to know the answers," said Miami Beach Police Chief Richard Barreto.[11] Versace's body was cremated and his ashes returned to the family's estate near Cernobbio, Italy.

In September 1997, the media announced that Versace's brother, Santo, and Jorge Saud would serve as the new CEOs of Gianni Versace S.p.A. Versace's sister, Donatella, became the new head of design.

In his will, Gianni Versace left 50% of his fashion empire to his niece Allegra Versace. Her younger brother, Daniel, inherited Versace's rare artwork collection. Allegra inherited her stake, worth around half a billion dollars, when she turned 18 years old in 2004. [10][12]

Filmography

Versace was involved in numerous onscreen projects.[13]

Actor

Costume designer, costume and wardrobe

Production designer

Awards and tributes

Notes and references

  1. ↑ Horyn, Cathy, "Why Fashion Films Are Usually Cartoons," New York Times, Sun. Oct. 6, 2013, p. 13
  2. ↑ Mulvagh, Jane (15 July 1997). "Obituary: Gianni Versace". The Independent.
  3. ↑ Dirk Cameron Gibson, Serial Murder and Media Circuses, Greenwood Publishing Group, 2006. p. 138.
  4. ↑ "This Day in History: July 15: Gianni Versace Killed". Maxim. July 2009. Archived from the original on March 18, 2012.
  5. ↑ Tyler Stoddard Smith, Whore Stories: A Revealing History of the World's Oldest Profession, p. 172
  6. 1 2 Ball, Deborah (2 February 2010). House of Versace: The Untold Story of Genius, Murder, and Survival. pp. 27, 31–32. ISBN 9780307462404.
  7. ↑ https://books.google.com/books?id=3TAnAQAAIAAJ&q=%22Mondo+Donatella%22&dq=%22Mondo+Donatella%22&hl=en
  8. ↑ Michael Gross (11 March 1991). "A portrait of Jenny". New York Magazine. pp. 18–19. Retrieved 4 September 2015.
  9. 1 2 Ariel Levy (2006). "Summer for the Sun Queen". New York Magazine. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  10. 1 2 Cunningham, Jennifer (19 June 2004). "Is there a Versace in the house?; Allegra Beck; Aged 11, she watched TV reports flash up news that her beloved uncle, Gianni Versace, had been shot. Now she stands to inherit a 50% share of the Versace empire. But who is this girl with the power at her fingertips?". The Herald (Plymouth). Plymouth, England. Retrieved 2 November 2015 – via HighBeam Research. (subscription required (help)).
  11. ↑ "Cunanan: more questions than answers". CNN. 1997-07-25. Retrieved 2007-06-29.
  12. ↑ Pisa, Nick (December 7, 2010). "Versace murdered because of debts to Mafia". The Telegraph. Retrieved December 7, 2010.
  13. 1 2 "Movies and TV: Gianni Versaci: Filmography". The New York Times. Retrieved 11 April 2011.
  14. ↑ "The Day - Google News Archive Search". google.com. Retrieved 3 November 2015.
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