Versace

The Label : There is never anything understated about Versace. The Italian brand, founded by late fashion designer Gianni Versace in 1978, is all about grandiose, sexiness and decadent European-style glamour, not to mention an irreverent rock star attitude.

Think of Elizabeth Hurley in the mid 1990’s in that tight black Versace gown held together rather precariously and revealingly with nothing but safety pins down the sides. The design reigns were taken over by Gianni’s sister, Donatella Versace, after her brother was murdered in Miami Beach in 1997.

Donatella has maintained the label’s aesthetic, electric colours, sensuous fabrics and clingy silhouettes for a bold, raw sexiness. The men’s collection, which was launched first, has a similar quality, with slim, sharp cuts and a reverence for the styles of the 1970s and 1980s.

The Look : King and Queen of the European disco scene. Screen vixens who eat up the red carpet wear it well. A who’s who of the celebrity world with Brad Pitt, Jamie Foxx, Catherine Zeta Jones, Madonna, Kate Hudson, Angelina Jolie, Jennifer Lopez and Demi Moore to mention just a few of the many A list celebs showcasing this royalty of fashion.

The Designer : Gianni Versace was born in Reggio Calabria Italy on 20th December 1945. In 1978, with the help of his brother Santo, he founded the Gianni Versace company which first launched a men’s collection, swiftly followed by a women’s, shown in Milan.

Today the company is fronted by Donatella Versace, Gianni’s younger sister.

More information : www.versace.com