How Donatella took Versace to new heights after Gianni’s death – from that Fendi collab and Jennifer Lopez’ iconic green dress, to the brand’s multibillion-dollar acquisition by Michael Kors

Apr 1 , 2022

Italian designer Donatella Versace has pushed the fashion house to new heights. Photo: AFP

Versace has long been a celebrity favourite – Angelina Jolie, Princess Diana and Cindy Crawford are among the many A-listers who have worn the fashion label’s designs

Donatella has helmed the Versace brand and kept it thriving since her brother was killed in 1997, as told in the hit series American Crime Story

It seems drama never ceases to torment Italian fashion houses. That goes for the wrangling within the Gucci family, translated into the recent cinematic sensation House of Gucci, as well as the tragedy of the 1997 murder of Gianni Versace,
that Ryan Murphy turned into the television series, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.

While the series on the house of Versace’s recent past mixed imagined events with real life ones, one thing remained true throughout: that Versace would survive, as Penélope Cruz, playing Gianni’s sister Donatella, makes clear in the first episode. And at the heart of why it survives, and indeed thrives today, is Donatella herself.

Ever since Gianni established the brand in 1978, it has been distinguished by its unapologetically classical and maximalist aesthetics. Born in the small southern city of Reggio Calabria, the designer rooted Versace in its Italian heritage, making its designs instantly recognisable, characterised by vivid colours, bold prints and audacious silhouettes. Topped off by its Medusa head motif, the brand has been immortalised on runways and red carpets as well as films, lyrics and books ever since.

Versace’s spring summer 2022 show. Photo: Versace

“Versace is always Versace. We have such a strong DNA it would be impossible not to know what Versace is. Superior craftsmanship, creativity, innovation: these are the values I have in mind when I create the collections. Although it has evolved with time in an organic way, there are things that will always remain the same, although expressed in different ways,” explains Donatella.

Angelina Jolie in a custom Atelier Versace gown, crafted from heritage metal mesh for the Rome Film Festival premiere of Eternals. Photo: Getty Images

Since her brother’s time, Versace has been a celebrity favourite, helping to build buzz for A-listers and royals alike, from Cindy Crawford’s 1992 MTV Awards appearance and the black safety pin dress worn by Liz Hurley in 1994 to various elegant and sometimes controversial designs sported by Princess Diana.

Taking the torch from her brother in 1997, Donatella took the brand into a new era, one that is today dominated by social media and luxury acquisitions. In 2018, the Italian family brand was acquired by American luxury group Michael Kors, now called Capri Holdings, for US$2.1 billion.

Donatella Versace with Jennifer Lopez following the presentation of the brand’s spring/summer 2020 collection in Milan. Photo: AFP

While the deal stirred debate, Versace has experienced a revival. The company’s results for the second fiscal quarter of 2022, ending September 25, 2021, showed revenues of US$282 million, 45 per cent up on the year before. At the same time, at fashion weeks, Versace shows have become one of the most anticipated extravaganzas on and off social media – just think of its spring/summer 2020 show, closed by Jennifer Lopez re-wearing the iconic high-slit jungle dress from 20 years before.

“When I create something new I always have a look to the past and to the future with a good dose of irony. It was the young people who asked me to know more about our history, so it was only natural for me to tell them what Versace was, but I did it by trying to get closer to their aesthetic language.