Fashion Nostalgia: Gianni Versace

Gianni Versace was adored by the models he helped make famous

Twenty years ago, the fashion world lost a larger than life industry icon when Gianni Versace was gunned down by Andrew Cunanan on the steps of his luxurious Miami mansion.

From the time I opened my first Vogue magazine in the early 1980s until that devastating day, there were only a few designers I was truly inspired by - Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Lacroix, and Gianni Versace.  I remember being devastated by his lost and thinking that fashion would never be the same.

Left to Right:  Raquel Welch, Gianni Versace, Madonna, Tupac Shakur

From 1978 until his sudden death in 1997, Gianni Versace created his own brand of opulence and glamour at his eponymous label, Versace.  At the height of his career he commanded a large following of celebrities, musicians, socialites and even royalty, including Madonna, Elton John, Princess Diana, Sting, and Tupac Shakur.

He is also credited with creating the supermodel in the nineties, when he agreed to pay high sums to Naomi Campbell, Cindy Crawford, Linda Evangelista and Christy Turlington to walk in his shows and pose for his ads.

His bold, ultra-sexy, grandiose style set the fashion industry on fire and made him one of the most important Italian designers of the 1980’s and 90’s.  He dealt in strong colors and patterns, fluid materials that caressed the body and clean, bias-cut lines.

   

Vogue magazine once said, Gianni Versace was a fashion rock star, adored by many and lavishly praised by the fashion industry.

He created the “Safety Pin” dress that launched Elizabeth Hurley into the spotlight as more than Hugh Grant’s then girlfriend. 

He outfitted Princess Diana a number of times, including in a 1991 photo shoot by Patrick Demarchalier that was used for a November 1997 Harper's Bazaar tribute cover following her death. That dress went for $200,000 in an auction in 2015.  She also wore a slinky blue silk Versace gown for a benefit. 

The designer dressed Courtney Love in an ethereal, white Versace gown for the 1997 Academy Awards.

The hip-hop industry adored Gianni Versace and his designs went hand-in-hand with the decadent, money driven lifestyle hip-hop presented in the nineties.  The designer and his sister, Donatella, grew close to Tupac Shakur, who enjoyed custom-made clothing from the designer and famously walked in Versace’s Fall/Winter 1996 show in Milan.

In 1997, The Notorious B.I.G and Puffy famously wore Versace’s opulent silk shirts and sunglasses in the “Hypnotize” video, inspiring knock-offs that became wildly popular among urban teens.

Gianni's bright, bold style carried over into his private life.  He was known to throw lavish parties in his palatial, ocean-front Miami mansion, called Casa Casuarina, which features his signature Medusa head motif and strong Italian influenced décor throughout.

He was at the height of his fame when we was tragically murdered.  He will always be remembered for creating one of the most recognizable and lasting fashion labels in modern history and for his sexy, opulent, luxurious creations.