For more than thirty years Versace fashion house has been pleasing real fashion young fans with its unsurpassed collection of woman clothes. Gianni Versace, the founder of fashion house, managed to create a unique image, bewitch admirers of true beauty, struck with candor, sexuality and glamor.

How it all began …

The founder of the company was born in 1946 in an Italian town Reggio Calabria. Since childhood, he dreamed of becoming a pianist, but fate disposed of him in its own way. Being 18 years old, Gianni began working in studio with his mother, who had a custom tailoring shop, she just played a decisive role in her son’s fashion young life. Within six years, Gianni had been working with his mother: often visited London and Paris, buying samples of woman clothes, as well as gradually gained necessary experience and knowledge. His mother taught him treating fashion young women with a special awe and love - maybe it had an impact on formation of his taste in fashion.

In 1973 Gianni moved to live in Milan, which is now famous for the quarter with hundreds of trendy shops. 1978 could be called the beginning of Versace’s personal career, because he created “Gianni Versace SpA” company, which employed many of his relatives. Thus, Versace was able to provide the market with his own collection of clothes.

In March 1978, a 34-year-old Gianni and his older brother Santo opened their first boutique in Milan, where they presented the first significant fashion young collection of women’s clothing models. Pretty soon a collection of men’s clothing was presented - in September the same year.

Main components of Versace woman clothes collections

In woman clothes Gianni was always attracted by fitting cloth, mini-skirts, a deep neckline, and open arms and back. Sensuality, sexuality and frankness - main components of Versace fashion young collections.

It was Versace who revived fashion for narrow trousers, extremely short skirts, corsets and fitting costumes. He is also famous for never skimping on the most beautiful and expensive models to advertise his fashion young collections. Versace was one of the first designers who began to invite world-renowned photographers for advertising campaigns and photo shootings. Versace fashion shows represent a real show: with music, scenery, well-known actors and musicians.

In 1989 Versus woman clothes line was put into mass production, Donatella - Gianni’s sister is still managing it.

In parallel, Gianni Versace was developing an original design of a wide variety of fashion young accessories: jewelry, bags and suitcases, perfumes.

Gianni Versace gathered together the best models of the world - Cindy Crawford, Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell and Linda Evangelista - for showing his autumn-winter woman clothes collection 1991-1992. He introduced a commonplace notion of fashion young top model into the world.

Tragic finale

15 July 1997 a great fashion designer was shot dead on the doorstep of his home in Miami, by a certain Andrew Cunanan, a homosexual, who, after these events, committed suicide. The true motive for the killing is still unknown. Most experts offer the version that mafia organization of Calabria should answer for the crime, as it run clandestine Italian factories producing counterfeit products bearing Versace emblem. Losses from these plants for Versace house composed millions of dollars. Given that Gianni declared them war - it is likely that the real reason is here.

Successor to the throne

After a death of a legendary designer, Versace house leadership passed to his sister, Donatella Versace. When an Italian headed her brother’s empire in her 42 years, many doubted her success. Not beyond style, created by Gianni, Donatella started producing her lines of fashion young woman clothes. Well, sensuality and glamor ingredients remain the same Versace style. Nevertheless, Donatella is unlikely to repeat her brother’s tremendous success. Versace Empire is still one of the largest and most successful fashion houses, but unfortunately, there is no more magnificent and glorious celebration of fashion, which Gianni loved. Currently, Donatella controls most of the company’s assets, and her daughter, Allegra, the sole heiress of Versace is preparing to participate actively in company’s affairs.

Versace product line

Gianni Versace Couture is the main line of Fashion house, which is presented with woman clothes, jewelry, watches, perfumes, cosmetics and «hi-end» class interior products or of manual production. Traditionally, during high fashion week in Milan, we can see a show of only this line, but in recent years the tradition was disrupted. Author’s dresses of this line may cost about $ 10,000, and costumes - about $ 5000. Donatella Versace herself directs preparation of Gianni Versace Couture, and invents a lot of fashion young clothing and accessories. Many accessories and interior items are licensed by Rosenthal and other well-known companies and have the brand image of Medusa and / or Greek motifs. Release of «haute couture» line Atelier Versace was terminated because of small volume of sales and failure on the market.

Versace Collection, Versace Jeans Couture and Versus - license lines with overlapping motifs. Clothing line has the characteristics of Gianni Versace, but the emphasis is on trends in a particular season. Often, these lines are created and manufactured by other companies, who work closely with Versace Group. Versace Collection is designed for fashion young audience, and is more accessible to different segments of population.

Versace Jeans Couture, the line of woman clothes for everyday life, focuses on informal clothing: high-quality jeans and classic shirts with Gianni Versace figure, which are relatively accessible. The line of clothing is distributed through 56 boutiques and shops, as well as through 1800 multibrand points of sale and online shops. Versace Sport - clothing and accessories for fashion young active lifestyle. Brand’s name is often sprayed on shirts. Versace Precious Items, a brand controlled by Gianni Versace, produces watches, jewelry and writing instruments. High-quality watches and jewelry are made in Switzerland, and writing utensils - in France.

Versace fashion house faces and celebrities

Among Versace fans we can see many famous people. Long time Elton John clothed Versace - usual things, adorned with diamonds or paste from Swarovski. Other fans of Versace brand include: Michael Jackson and Elizabeth Hurley. Rap singer Tupac Shakur (2pac) mentioned Versace in the song “Hit ‘Em Up”, which was a response on behalf of another rapper Notorious BIG aka Biggie Smalls, who was known for his affection for Versace sun glasses.

Unlike other Italian fashion houses, Versace has a «face» of the company. Sometimes, the company invites fashion young celebrities for widespread advertising. While other fashion houses often count on attention of the press, Versace advertising strategy turned out to be one step ahead. For work as a company’s «face» a celebrity guest receives a monetary reward and as a token of gratitude they give clothing from Versace. For example, for participating in Versace advertising campaign in 2005, Madonna earned 10.5 million dollars and won the right to get free Versace brand apparel for 2 years.

Madonna (1995 and 2005), Demi Moore, Britney Spears and Christina Aguilera were Versace faces. In Spring / Summer 2006 season Holly Berry became a face of Versace.

Versace models began real items of collecting, which are often presented in the largest museums of the world. These are works of art. Gianni Versace’s name will live forever in the history of fashion world, and his famous designer’s flair and audacity to translate ideas into practice will serve as a model for many new generations of young artists.