Donatella Versace
Donatella Versace, (born
May 2,
1955) is an affluent, high-end
Italian fashion designer, like her famous brother,
Gianni Versace, the founder of the high-end
Versace clothing empire. Her current title is Vice-President of the Versace Group and Chief Designer of the fashion line. She holds a great amount of Versace
stock, totalling 20% of the entire
stock market assets of
Versace. Her brother,
Santo Versace, owns 35%.
Early life and fashion debut
Donatella Versace was born in the
Italian city of
Reggio di Calabria, the youngest of four children in her family, her father being a personal
financier to the
Italian aristocracy. In the mid 1970s, Donatella followed her 10-year older brother, Giovanni ("Gianni"), to pursue knitwear design in
Florence,
Italy. Donatella had planned to work for her brother as
Public Relations, but she was more valuable to Gianni as a "muse and critic", according to Donatella during an interview with
Vogue. [
1] Through her closeness to her brother's enterprises, Donatella plunged into the fashion world. A decade later, during the 1980s, Gianni launched a perfume dedicated to her,
Blonde, and gave her her own diffusion label,
Versus, which remains a well-known Versace inner line.
The growth of Donatella and Versace
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The Versace line created by Donatella |
Donatella is accredited as the first designer to use notable celebrities to broadcast her
clothing into the world on the
catwalk and other public mediums such as
advertisements, instead of using unknown models. Another member of the growing
Versace success was
Santo Versace S.p.A., Donatella's brother, who is also a
fashion designer and the owner of Finanziaria Versace, an established
Versace branch. Donatella soon proved to be the public relations giant within the
Versace label and spread its name throughout
Europe and most of the
United States. Donatella chose to place some of her good friends,
Madonna and
Demi Moore, in high esteem in the
Versace advertising sector, making them and other
A-List celebrities the persona and image of
Versace.
Tragedy in Miami
On
July 15,
1997, outside of the re-constructed Versace Mansion, also known as
Casa Casaurina, in
Miami,
Florida,
Gianni Versace was shot to death by
Andrew Cunanan, a suspected serial-killer who committed suicide before apprehension was possible. Donatella and other family patriarchs temporarily moved the family to a secluded, private resort in the
Caribbean. Consequently, the Spring-Summer 1998 Collection was cancelled as were the indirect operations of the
company. The Official
Funeral of
Gianni Versace was held at the
Roman Catholic Milan Cathedral in
Milan,
Italy, where over 2,000 mourners attended a traditional service, which was originally highly controversial. Notable guests in attendance were
Diana Princess of Wales,
Sir Elton John,
Naomi Campbell,
Giorgio Armani,
Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy,
Sting,
Luciano Pavarotti, Carla
Fendi,
Karl Lagerfeld and many other famous
fashion designers. Elton John and Sting sang a setting of Psalm 23, "The Lord is My Shepherd", broadcast to millions of viewers worldwide.
Promotion and success
A year and three days after Gianni's death in
July 1998, she mounted her first couture show for the
Versace Atelier at the Paris
Hôtel Ritz Paris, building her runway over the hotel's swimming pool as her brother had done every season, though this time using sheer glass. She now oversees the production of a dozen collections each year though these days, Donatella is just as famous for her celebrity entourage and glittering parties. Regular guests include
Sir Elton John,
Liz Hurley,
Catherine Zeta-Jones and
Kate Moss. Even
Prince Charles attends Donatella's famous and elite parties throughout Europe.
The varied endeavours of the company have created a grand, luxurious
Palazzo Versace Resort in
Gold Coast,
Australia. Another growing symbol of the
Versace style, the World's Tallest Hotel, the
Burj al-Arab in
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates (UAE) boasts a broad
collection of
Versace furniture and beddings in its expensive and lavish rooms.
Plans for the
Palazzo Versace Dubai were announced in May of
2005.
Gianni Versace SpA,
Sunland Group Ltd. and Emirates International Holdings have announced the
Palazzo Versace resort to be constructed in the Arabian Bays on the Dubai Creek in
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates. The second
Palazzo Versace will boast a number of suites and luxury villas, including an exclusive spa. Official plans are to begin construction in
2006 and have completed the hotel sometime in the year
2008. The interior of the hotel will be furnished with various
Versace collections. As Creative Director, Donatella will carry out final plans and design strategies for the hotel and resort compound. This will be the second Pallazo Versace hotel ever to be built, and the second hotel in
Dubai to boast a wide range of
Versace collections.
In October of 2002, Gianni and Donatella's most famously designed
Versace clothing were displayed in a special exhibit of the historical
Victoria and Albert Museum of
London to be honored for extraordinary fashion success and symbolism worldwide.
Family and residence
Donatella and her former husband,
American model Paul Beck, have two children, daughter Allegra (born
June 30,
1986) and son Daniel (born circa
1989).
Donatella's deceased brother,
Gianni Versace, had a large collection of homes worldwide that have since been sold, most notably his
Manhattan,
New York double-wide townhome, estimated to be valued at over $21,000,000
USD. Donatella Versace does not permanently live in one residence, but consistently travels from one to the other.
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Allegra Versace (left), Heiress to the Versace fortune, and mother, Donatella (at right) |
Heiress to the throne
It was in 1997, while watching television, that Allegra Versace saw the familiar face of her uncle, Gianni, on the news stations. He had been shot. Not only was Gianni an
icon of the fashion industry, he was the highest figure in the
Versace Group, leaving no one to rule the vast network of clothing lines and branches of his company. His
Last Will and Testament stated Allegra Versace was to receive majority inheritance and titles. After Donatella, Allegra is the heiress to the remainder of the extensive Versace fortune, including vast real estate holdings worldwide.
Allegra Versace, upon her eighteenth birthday, received the primary inheritance from her beloved uncle, Gianni, the staggering sum of $700 million.
"Only you understand how I express what I feel" --Gianni to AllegraShe was not only left an enormous wealth and heritage from her uncle, Allegra was given Gianni's
villa on
Lake Como,
Italy and a large townhome in one of Manhattan's most
affluent neighborhoods. To this day she stands to inherit the company, as her brother, Daniel, inherited Gianni's vast rare artwork collection. While the
Versace Group is not as finacially robust as it was in its earlier and peak stages, the
Versace Group has publicly made clear that Donatella and Allegra Versace will hopefully bring a new face and attraction to the
Versace label.
Popularization
Donatella has been regularly impersonated by
Maya Rudolph on the American comedy skit show
Saturday Night Live, which airs on the
NBC network. Through such comedic and televised performances, Donatella Versace has personally become a well-known designer in the United States.
She has held
cameo performances in many films relating to fashion and its industry, such as
Zoolander. Also, in many other films, including the recent hit,
The Devil Wears Prada, the mention of "Donatella" is used sporadically.
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Gianni Versace, brother of Donatella Versace
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Palazzo Versace, first Versace hotel in chain
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The Official Versace Website
